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LIBRARY 


THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 

OF  CALIFORNIA 


ADDITIONS  TO  THE  ORNITHOLOGY 


OF- 


GUADALUPE  ISLAND, 


By  WALTER  E.i  BRYANT 


ir 


Extract  from  Bulletin  6,  California  Academy  of  Sciencet. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  269 

ADDITIONS  TO  THE  ORNITHOLOGY  OF  GUADALUPE  ISLAND 

BY  WALTER   E.    BRYANT. 


->^       The  avifauna  of  Guadalupe  Island  was  entirely  unknown 

**    to  science  until  1875,  when  Dr.  Edward  Palmer,  in  the  in- 

-^   terest  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  made  a  collection  of 

-!j    seventy-two   specimens    embracing  eight   species   of   land 

birds  and  one  water  bird,  found  dead  on  the  island.^     The 

results  of   this   work  were  published  by  Mr.  Robert  Ridg- 

way.^ 

In   "  The   Birds  of   Guadalupe   Island,"    Mr.    Eidgway 

remarks  that  "  the  land  birds  contained  in  the  collection 

from  Guadalupe   embrace   only  eight  species,  so  that  the 

^    fauna  of  the  island  is  by  no  means  fully  represented;  indeed, 

.    the  collector  observed  a  humming-bird,  two  kinds  of  owls, 

^    and  a  hawk,  of  which  no  specimens  were  obtained.     This  is 

^  to  be  regretted,  since  most,  if  not  all,  of  these  would  doubt- 

less  have  proved  new.     It  is  altogether  likely,  too,   that 

?5;^  other  species  escaped  notice,  and  thus  remain  to  be  dis- 

nj^ covered;    a  rich  field   is   therefore  left  to   the   future   ex- 

plorer. 

I  have  twice  visited  in  pursuit  of  ornithological  studies 
this  remote  island,  which  is  extremely  difficult  of  access.  In 
January,  1885,  I  spent  a  brief  time  on  Guadalupe,  sufficient 
time,  indeed,  to  but  increase  my  desire  for  further  investi- 

NoTE  ^. — The  eight  species  of  land  birds  were  determined  to  be  new  to 
science.  The  water  bird  was  an  adult  specimen  in  breeding  plumage  of  the 
Pacific  Loon  ( Urinator  pacificus) . 

Note  ^.  —  "Ornithology  of  Guadeloupe  Island,  based  on  notes  and  collect- 
ions, made  by  Dr.  Edward  Palmer."  Bulletin,  Hayden's  Survey,  1876,  No. 
2,  p.  183. 

See,  also.  Bulletin  of  the  Nuttall  Ornithological  Club,  Vol.  II,  p.  58,  July, 
1877. 

19— Bull.  Cal,  Acad.  Sci.    II.    6.  Issued  January  5,  1887. 


I-  (  Q  ^  ( 


270  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

gation.  Through  the  kindness  of  Mr.  Luis  Huller  I  was 
enabled  at  the  end  of  the  same  year  to  make  a  second  visit, 
landing  on  the  island  on  December  16,  1885.  My  expecta- 
tion was  to  stay  about  six  weeks,  but  as  it  eventuated,  it 
was  one  hundred  and  twelve  days  before  an  opportunity 
presented  itself  for  me  to  leave  the  island.  During  these 
three  months  and  a  half  I  had  ample  time  to 
most  thoroughly  prospect  the  island  and  to  make  a  careful 
study,  not  only  of  the  birds  themselves  but  of  their  habits, 
number  and  distribution. 

Guadalupe  being  almost  unknown  and  charts  quite  unat- 
tainable, a  few  words  in  the  way  of  description  may  serve  to 
render  more  lucid  the  remarks  which  follow. 

Guadalupe :  Island  is  situated  about  two  hundred  and 
twenty  miles  to  the  southward  and  westward  of  San  Diego, 
the  northern  extremity  lying  in  about  29°  10'  N.,  118°  18' 
W.  Extending  about  fifteen  miles  in  length,  with  a  max- 
imum width  of  &ve  miles,  it  is  said  to  reach  at  its  highest 
point  an  altitude  of  4,523  feet.  It  is  of  volcanic  origin,  as  is 
is  evidenced  by  the  loose,  burnt  rocks,  and  broken  lava 
which  cover  the  entire  island.  Rocks  varying  in  size  from 
the  smallest  pebble  to  that  of  a  cocoa  nut  are  thickly  strewn 
about  on  every  hand,  while  in  places,  huge  boulders  and 
ledges  crop  out.  An  unbroken  ridge  rising  to  its  greatest 
height  in  the  central  portion  extends  the  entire  length  of  the 
island  from  north  to  south,  forming  a  **  hog's  back."  On 
the  western  side  of  this  range,  the  land  slopes  rapidly 
towards  the  ocean,  ending  in  many  places  in  high  perpen- 
dicular cliffs. 

Towards  the  south  the  land  is  somewhat  lower,  sloping 
more  gradually  and  ending  less  abruptly.  It  is  noticeable 
that  the  southern  part  of  the  island,  which  is  the  lowest,  is 
very  rocky  and  barren,  no  trees  growing  below  the  central 
mesa.  Whatever  vegetation  exists  there,  consists  of  stunted 
alfileria  and  scattered  sagebrush.  The  western  side  is 
broken  by  two  great  canons  separated  by  a  barren  hill  of 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  271 

reddish  rock.  The  northern  portion  consists  of  a  very  sharp 
ridge  nearly  or  quite  perpendicular  on  the  western  face, 
while  on  the  eastern  slope  it  descends  rapidly  and  hides  its 
surface  under  a  covering  of  sagebrush. 

For  convenience  of  reference,  I  shall  mention  the  wooded 
tracts  under  four  distinct  heads : — 

First — At  the  northern  end  of  the  island  is  a  fast  decay- 
ing forest  of  pines,  extending  within  narrow  limits  along 
the  sharp  ridge  and  down  the  almost  perpendicular  western 
face.  Among  these  pines  are  to  be  found  a  few  hardy  oaks 
upon  whose  branches  grow  huge  acorns,  said  to  be  the 
largest  in  the  world.  A  few  isolated  pines  nre  found  grow- 
ing along  the  ridge  nearly  to  its  central  portion. 

Second — Far  down  on  the  northwestern  slope  is  a  large 
grove  of  cabbage  palms. 

Third — On  the  highest  part  of  the  island,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a  single  peak  (Mt.  Augusta),  is  situated  a  large  grove 
of  cypress  trees  covering  an  area  of  a  mile  or  more  on  the 
western  slope;  the  eastern  side  of  this  forest  ends  abruptly 
at  the  edge  of  the  ridge,  below  which  is  a  comparatively 
level  table  land. 

Fourth — On  this  plateau  grows  a  small  cypress  grove. 
Here  I  had  my  permanent  camp,  within  half  a  mile  of  which 
were  several  springs  and  pools  of  water.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  one  spring  here  and  one  or  two  towards  the  north, 
all  the  waters  were  more  or  less  strongly  alkaline.  When- 
ever rain  collected  in  the  rocky  basiA  of  the  small  arroyos, 
this  water  was  used  in  preference  to  the  alkali  water  of  the 
springs. 

The  vegetation  in  a  wet  season,  as  was  the  winter  of 
1885-6,  consisted  <ihiefly  of  the  common  alfileria,  while  in 
places,  especially  about  old  goat  corrals,  dense  growth  of 
malva  had  sprung  up.  Throughout  the  entire  length 
of  the  island,  there  grows  in  places  a  small  white 
sagebrush  with  j^ellow  blossoms.  This  sagebrush,  to- 
gether    with     the     bark     of    the     cypress    trees,     serves 


272  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

in  dry  years  as  food  for  the  goats,  who  numbered,  I 
should  judge,  about  two  thousand.  In  the  large  cypress 
grove  I  saw  scarcely  a  tree  that  did  not  bear  the  marks  of 
their  teeth. 

The  climate  of  Guadalupe  was,  at  that  season  of  the  year, 
quite  cool,  in  fact  the  nights  were  so  cold  that  ice  occasion- 
ally formed,  while  frost  was  of  common  occurrence.  To- 
wards spring  the  weather  moderated  considerably,  and 
in  the  summer,  I  am  told,  it  is  very  warm.  During  many 
days  the  north-westers  blew  keenly,  rising  at  times  almost 
to  a  gale.  The  fogs  were  very  dense,  and,  driven  by 
high  winds,  swept  over  the  island,  saturating  it  like  rain. 
Although  the  rains  were  at  no  time  very  heavy,  the  slop- 
ing and  rocky  formation  of  the  land  allows  most  of  it  to 
flow  off,  so  that  a  few  hours  of  rain  would  send  small  tor- 
rents rushing  down  the  arroyos. 

The  work  of  preparing  specimens  was  beset  with  many 
difficulties.  On  some  days  the  large  blow-flies  that  swarmed 
about  camp  compelled  me  to  prepare  and  pack  in  a  green 
condition  the  specimens  as  soon  as  brought  in.  But  more 
trouble  was  caused  by  the  dense  fogs  that  often  enveloped 
the  camp  and  so  relaxed  skins  that  were  not  tightly  boxed, 
as  to  render  it  necessary  to  reset  them.  The  accommoda- 
tions, moreover,  were  not  the  most  suitable,  nor  were  the 
comforts  of  life  in  excess  of  the  demand  for  them.  As  a 
result  of  three  and  a  half  months'  sojourn  on  the  island, 
the  number  of  known  species  has  been  increased  by  twenty- 
seven,  making   a  total  of   thirty-six  known  to  the  islaud. 

Four  of  the  straggling  species,  viz.: — Mountain  Bluebird, 
Varied  Thrush,  Townsend's  Sparrow  and  Golden-crowned 
Sparrow,  are  recorded  for  the  first  time  from  so  southern  a 
latitude  as  Guadalupe  Island,  while  their  presence  so  far  off 
shore,  is  of  scarcely  less  interest.  It  is  shown  quite  con- 
clusively that  the  four  species  (certainly  three  of  them)  that 
were  noted,  but  not  taken  in  1875,  are  not  new  to  science. 
The  very  natural  supposition  to  the  contrary  held  by  many, 
served  to  attract  me  to  the  island. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  273 

There  yet  remain  uiLwiown  the  eggs  of  Pip'ilo  consohrinvs, 
Tlirijothorus  hrevicaudus  and  Polyhorus  lutosus,  and  also  the 
young  plumage  of  Thryothorus  hrevicaudus,  Colaptes  rufi- 
pileiis  and  Begtdiis  obscurus. 

From  Dr.  Palmer's  notes  I  was  led  to  suppose  that  the 
breeding  season  on  Guadalupe  differed  but  slightly,  if  any, 
from  that  about  the  vicinity  of  San  Francisco  Bay.  Per- 
sonal observation,  however,  reveals  the  fact  that  on  the 
island  it  is  several  months  earlier,  nesting  beginning  with 
many  of  the  species  in  the  winter,  as  will  be  seen  by  the 
dates  accompanying  the  notes. 

The  researches  made  by  Mr.  L.  Belding  on  the  western 
coast  of  Lower  California,  disclose  the  fact  that,  as  far 
south  as  Cerros  Island  (about  28  deg.  north),  the  birds  do 
not  differ  from  those  found  near  San  Diego. 

With  the  exception  of  a  pair  of  falcons  (F.  mexicanus  ?), 
which  were  not  taken,  the  subjoined  is  a  complete  list  of 
the  birds  which  I  found  inhabiting  Guadalupe  Island. 
Nevertheless,  there  is  a  strong  probability  that  others  have 
and  will  find  rest  in  transit,  or  permanently,  as  in  the  case  of 
the  cross-bills  and  nuthatches.  Without  going  into  the 
details  of  a  strict  technical  treatise,  I  will  endeavor  to 
give  a  full  account  of  the  habits,  distribution  and  num- 
bers of  the  birds  from  my  personal  observation.  The 
measurements  have  been  carefully  taken  and  com- 
pared with  specimens  and  published  descriptions,  those  of 
the  more  common  species  being  omitted. 

The  Mexican  names  of  many  birds  were  not  known  to  the 
inhabitants,  and  in  some  instances  it  was  evident  that  they 
either  confounded  the  species  or  applied  to  a  bird  the  name 
of  some  similar  bird  with  which  they  were  familiar.  As  they 
may,  however,  be  of  use  to  others  who  may  visit  the  island, 
I  append  the  names  as  they  were  given  me : 

1. — Buteo  borealis  calurus. — "  Aguilia,"  which  more  strictly 
means  an  eagle. 


274  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

2. — Tinniinculus  sparverius. — "  Gavalancillo." 
3. — Polyborus  lutosus. —  "  Queleli." 
4. — Speotyto  cunicularia  liypogsea. — "Lechuza." 
5. — Colaptes  rufipileus. — "  Carpentero."  This  name  is  ap- 
plied to  several  of  the  woodpeckers  in  California,  partic- 
ularly  Melanerpes  formicivorus  bairdi. 
6. — Micropusmelanoleucus. — "  Golondrina."  Also  applied 

to  swallows  in  Lower  California. 
7. — Trochilus   anna.  —  *' Chuparrosa."       Hummingbirds 

generally. 
8. — Carpodacus  amplus. — '^  Gorrion."     Pronounced  "  Bu- 
rion,"  as  it  is  spelled  in  B.  B.  &  E.  Hist.  N.  Am.  Birds. 
In   California  C.  frontalis  rliodocolpus  is  also  known  by 
this  name. 
9. — Junco  insularis. —  "  Gorrion  azul." 
10. — Oroscoptes  montanus. — "  Sinsontle." 
11. — Salpinctes  guadeloupensis. — "  Saltapared." 
12. — Eegulus  obscurus. — "  Canaria." 
13. — Merula  migratoria  propinqua. — "  Silguero." 

To  Mr.  H.  W.  Henshaw,  Mr.  W.  O.  Emerson  and  the 
authorities  of  the  U.  S.  National  Museum,  I  am  much  in- 
debted for  the  use  of  specimens  with  which  to  compare  my 
own.  I  also  wish  to  express  my  thanks  to  Mr.  L.  Belding 
for  valuable  information  and  suggestion,  and  to  Capt.  L.W. 
Johnston  for  his  many  kind  offices  during  the  two  voyages 
which  I  have  made  with  him.  To  Mr.  John  Lehr,  the 
island  agent,  my  thanks  are  due  for  his  valuable  aid  during 
my  stay. 

The  nomenclature  and  order  of  the  A.  O.  U.  checklist  has 
been  followed  in  the  preparation  of  this  paper. 

li    Larus  occidentalis. 

Western  Gull. — A  few  single  birds  were  seen  off  shore 
alighting  on  rocks  which  at  high  tide  were  entirely  covered. 
I  was  told  that  the  gulls  had  formerly  bred  in  considerable 
numbers  at  the  southern  end  of  the  island,  where  they  were 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  275 

not  SO  frequently  molested  b}^  the  ''  Quelelis."  The  latter, 
said  my  informant,  had  often  been  seen  in  the  act  of  rob- 
bing the  gulls  of  their  eggs.  The  birds  can  undoubtedly 
nest  at  the  present  time  on  any  other  portion  of  the  shore, 
especially  the  northern,  where  they  would  be  comparatively 
free  from  this  source  of  danger.  Had  more  time  been  at 
disposal,  a  trip  of  a  few  days  along  shore  might  have  re- 
sulted in  the  discovery  of  a  breeding  colony,  although  the 
month  of  April  was  rather  early  to  look  for  gull's  eggs. 

Specimens  in  both  adult  and  immature  plumage  in  num- 
bers were  noticed  about  the  island,  but  after  getting  well 
out  to  sea  on  the  return  voyage,  the  schooner  was  accompa- 
nied by  a  few  adult  birds  only.  On  approaching  the  Cali- 
fornian  coast,  these  were  joined  by  a  number  of  others,  ac- 
companied by  a  few  birds  of  immature  plumage.  Appar- 
ently the  younger  birds  are  not  partial  to  long  flights  at  sea, 
with  the  chances  of  encountering  heavy  weather,  and  there- 
fore prefer  to  follow  the  coast-line.  If  such  be  the  case, 
the  immature  birds  of  Guadalupe  may  have  been  reared 
there,  and  were  loath  to  put  to  sea  in  pursuit  of  vessels. 

2.    Fuffinus  gavia. 

Black-vented  Shearwater. — A  decayed  specimen,  found 
on  top  of  the  island  in  April,  has  kindly  been  identified 
by  Dr.  Cooper  as  this  species.  One  stormy  night  in  Jan- 
uary, I  heard  a  bird,  as  he  flew  past  camp,  making  a  pecu- 
liar rasping  squawk,  and  although  I  subsequently  heard  the 
same  sound  on  numerous  occasions,  more  particularly  when 
encamped  at  a  lower  altitude,  I  was  yet  unable  to  detect  the 
author  of  it.  My  Mexican  companion  said  the  bird  that 
made  the  sound  was  a  ^'Cuapo,"  common  in  Mexico;  he 
also  drew  in  explanation  the  outline  of  the  bill  of  some  ra- 
pacious bird;  such  information  is,  of  course,  extremely  un- 
reliable. 

Since  then  I  have  not  found  any  one  who  knows  of  a  bird 
by  the  name  **Cuapo."     I  was  inclined  to  assign  the  sounds 


276  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

to  sea-birds,  which  hypothesis  was  strengthened  by  my 
hearing  a  far  greater  number  of  these  night-fiiers  nlong  the 
beach  than  on  the  top  of  the  island,  where  the  dead  one  was 
found.  In  the  afternoon  on  which  I  left  the  island,  large 
flocks  of  Shearwaters  were  seen  a  few  miles  from  shore,  all 
of  which  were  on  the  wing,  not  much  above  the  waves. 
Some  or  all  may  have  been  of  this  species.  -As  the  schooner 
neared  Los  Coronados  Islands  (about  twenty  miles  south- 
west of  San  Diego),  large  flocks  were  seen  on  the  water  but 
rose  long  before  the  boat  reached  them. 

3.    Oceanodroma  leucorhoa. 

Leach's  Peteel. — In  the  latter  part  of  January,  I  was 
encamped  for  a  few  days  upon  a  narrow  shelf  of  rock  below 
the  top  of  a  steep  hillside,  which  formed  a  quiet  lee  where 
some  slight  protection  could  be  had  against  the  gale.  No 
ornithological  work  was  possible,  and  nothing  could  be 
done  for  the  three  days  of  the  storm's  continuance  but  to 
hug  the  camp  fire.  At  midnight  of  the  last  day,  my  com- 
panion awakened  me  to  announce  that  some  **  little  owls  " 
were  flying  about.  Every  few  minutes  a  bird  would  pass 
the  small  circle  of  light  or  hover  for  an  instant  in  the  glow 
above  the  fire,  while  from  the  enveloping  darkness  their 
calls  and  replies  could  be  clearly  heard.  There  seemed  to 
be  four  or  five  close  by,  but  so  quick  were  they  in  their 
movements,  with  flight  as  erratic  as  that  of  a  bat,  that  I 
found  it  impossible  to  shoot  them.  The  next  night,  I  set  a 
steel  trap,  but  the  bait,  consisting  of  a  Junco,  remained  un- 
touched. The  birds  came  about  my  camp  only  on  the 
darkest  nights  or,  if  any  were  flying  during  moonlight,  they 
were  entirely  silent.  After  the  setting  of  the  moon,  how- 
ever, even  though  as  late  as  four  o'clock  in  the  morning, 
they  would  make  their  appearance  with  their  peculiar  call. 
The  note  I  find  hard  to  describe;  perhaps  I  may  best  char- 
acterize it  by  saying  that  they  seemed  to  call  hurriedly, 
*'  here's-a-letter,''  *^  here^s-a-letter,"  and  tb'^u  from  the  dark- 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  277 

ness  came  the  reply  from  another  that  I  supposed  to  be  at 
rest,  'ybr  you,''  ^\for  you.'' 

Toward  the  north  I  often  found  wings  or  other  fragments 
of  a  petrel,  and  sometimes  the  entire  body  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  head.  Of  several  dozen  picked  up  from  the 
ground  but  one  entire  bird  was  found.  Scores  of  these 
bodies  were  found,  some  of  them  partially  eaten.  My  Mexi- 
can said  that  this  wholesale  slaughter  was  the  work  of  cats, 
but  only  one  or  two  of  these  animals  were  seen,  while  de- 
capitated petrels  were  lying  about  on  all  sides. 

There  were  many  small  holes  in  the  moist  hillside  open- 
ing under  boulders  and  fallen  branches.  Digging  into  these 
holes  for  a  distance  of  from  one  to  three  feet,  my  search 
was  rewarded  by  the  discovery  of  petrels  and  fresh  eggs. 
During  the  greater  part  of  two  days  I  dug  into  about  eighty 
burrows,  in  most  of  which  a  single  bird  was  found.  In 
some  cases  a  single  egg,  never  more,  laid  upon  a  few  pine 
needles  in  an  enlarged  chamber  at  the  extremity  of  the 
burrow  was  disclosed  to  view  on  removing  the  bird.  The 
birds  seemed  dazed  when  brought  to  light,  and  walked  or 
fluttered  helplessly  along  the  ground  for  a  few  feet  until 
they  sufficiently  recovered  from  their  fright  to  make  use  of 
their  wings.  When  tossed  into  the  air  they  descended 
lightly  and  made  their  way  among  the  tree-trunks  and  wind- 
falls, dodging  limbs  and  branches  with  a  quick,  bat-like 
motion.  I  do  not  know  whether  they  flew  out  to  sea  or 
found  concealment  until  nightfall,  but  the  latter  course 
seems  the  more  probable. 

Seldom  did  a  bird  make  a  sound  when  seized,  but  occa- 
sionally a  cry  like  that  of  a  bird  in  distress  would  escape 
them.  One  individual,  however,  while  being  unearthed, 
kept  up  the  peculiar  night-call  which  had  so  puzzled  me 
about  the  camp-fire. 

Their  favorite  breeding-ground  was  on  the  pine  ridge, 
but  nests  were  found  as  far  south  as  the  small  cypress  grove. 
It  was  very  difficult  to  secure  clean  specimens  since,  upon 


278 


CALIFORNIA   ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


being  caught,  they  invariably  vomited  and  purged  a  reddish, 
thin,  oily  fluid  of  an  extremely  strong  odor.  The  single 
egg  which  they  lay  is  held  against  the  abdomen  of  the  sit- 
ting bird.  It  is  shaped  much  like  a  pigeon's  egg,  white  in 
in  color,  while  one  end  is  wreathed  with  a  fine  spattering  of 
minute  dots  of  reddish  brown  and  pale  lavender. 

The  average  measurements  of  fifty  eggs  taken  March  4th 
and  5th,  is  35.7  x  27  mm.  The  largest  eggs  measure  37.5 
X  27.5;  38x27.5;  37  x  28  mm.,  and  the  smallest  31.5  x  26; 
32.5  x  25.5;  ;  33  x  27  mm. 

DIMENSIONS   OF   SPECIMENS, 


Collector's 
No. 

Sex  and 
age. 

Wing. 

Tail 
feath'rs 

Depth  of 
fork. 

Exposed 
culmen. 

Tarsus. 

Middle 

toe  aud 

claw. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2555 

$    ad. 

155 

85 

25 

17 

25 

29 

2556 

S    ad. 

162 

92 

28 

17 

23 

29 

2558 

$    ad. 

158 

87 

23 

16 

23 

28 

2559 

$   ad. 

161 

90 

30 

16 

25 

28 

2560 

S    ad. 

162 

93 

25 

15.5 

25 

28 

2561 

6    ad. 

160 

89 

32 

17 

24 

28 

2563 

$    ad. 

166 

95 

— 

17 

25 

29.5 

2564 

$    ad 

168 

94 

32 

17 

23 

30 

2566 

S    ad 

162 

92 

26 

16.5 

24 

29 

2567 

$    ad 

166 

97 

34 

17 

24 

30 

2568 

$    ad. 
?  ad. 

1 1- 

160 

92 

— 

15.5 

22.5 

28 

2557 

171 

99 

35 

16 

24 

28 

2562 

167 

97 

30 

16 

22 

29 

2565 

159 

96 

35 

17 

26 

30 

No.  11,164  in  the  collection  of  the  Cal.  Academy  of  Sciences,  from  At- 
lantic Ocean,  measures — Tail,  94  mm.;  depth  of  fork,  18  mm.;  culmen,  16 
mm.;  tarsus,  22.5  mm.;  middle  toe  and  claw,  24.5  mm. 

No.  11,165  in  the  collection  of  the  Cal.  Academy  of  Sciences,  from  At- 
lantic Ocean,  measures — Tail,  92  mm.;  depth  of  fork,  18  mm.;  culmen,  16 
mm.;  tarsus,  22  mm.;  middle  toe  and  claw,  25  mm. 

There  is  indicated  in  the  longer  tail,  greater  dopth  of  fork  and  longer 
middle  toe  which  is  constant  in  the  Guadalupe  example,  a  Pacific  or  at  least 
a  Guadalupe  Island  form  of  Oceanodroma,  differing  mainly  in  these  respects 
from  0.  leucorhoa.  But  I  have  not  at  present  sufficient  material  from  the 
Atlantic  Coast  to  determine  this  satisfactorily. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  279 

4.  Anser  albifrons  gambeli. 

American  White-fronted  Goose. — At  my  first  visit  on 
January  14,  1885,  I  shot  a  goose,  which  I  have  no  doubt 
was  of  this  species.  The  bird  was  a  solitary  individual, 
found  a  few  hundred  yards  from  the  beach,  and  when  shot 
fell  over  a  cliff  and  was  lost.  Although  flying  well  when 
flushed,  it  covered  but  a  short  distance  before  alighting.  In 
the  vicinity  where  it  was  first  seen  were  many  signs  indi- 
cating that  the  bird  had  been  there  for  some  time ,  or  that  a 
flock  had  rested  there  during  a  migration.  The  young  grass 
just  appearing  above  the  ground  furnished  sufficient  food. 

5.  Buteo  borealis  calurus. 

Western  Red-tail. — This  is  a  resident  species,  and  is 
probably  the  hawk  seen  by  Dr.  Palmer,  but  of  which  no 
specimen  was  obtained.  They  were  not  common,  not  more 
than  three  or  four  being  seen  during  any  single  day,  and 
probably  the  same  birds  were  counted  over  several  times  in 
the  course  of  a  week.  At  the  time  of  my  departure  I  esti- 
mated their  number  as  about  equalling  that  of  the  Caracara 
eagle.  They  were  oftener  seen  toward  the  north  where  the 
pines  offered  a  high  roosting-place.  On  pleasant  days  they 
extended  their  hunting  excursions  toward  the  south,  some- 
times remaining  for  days  in  the  vicinity  of  the  small  cypress 
grove,  but  on  the  occasion  of  foggy  or  rainy  weather  they 
disappeared,  seeking  shelter  among  the  pines,  where, 
perched  on  branches  close  to  the  leeward  side  of  the  trunk, 
they  waited  storm-bound  till  hunger  or  fair  weather  called 
them  away.  Their  extreme  wariness  and  the  nature  of  the 
country  prevented  me  from  securing  more  than  a  single 
specimen.  This  is  an  adult  male,  which  was  taken  on  the 
edge  of  the  small  cypress  grove  January  5. 

No  nests  were  seen,  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  among  the 
scattered  pines  these  birds  hatch  and  rear  their  young. 


280  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

DIMENSIONS  OF    SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Wing. 

Tall-feathets. 

Bill  from  nostril 

Tarsus. 

Middle  toe 

2403 

$  ad. 

1 
mm.      i         mm. 

38ir,  1        20i 

mm. 
23 

mm. 
70 

mm. 
48 

Iris,  dark  brown.  Cere,  commissure  and  toes,  chrome  yellow.  Length. 
517  mm.     Extent,  1249.5  mm. 

6.    Falco  sparverius. 

American  Sparrow-Hawk. — During  the  two  days  spent 
on  the  island  in  January,  1885,  I  saw  a  single  pair  of  these 
birds,  but  only  succeeded  in  securing  the  female.  My  so- 
journ during  the  winter  and  spring  of  the  following  year 
showed  the  birds  to  be  a  resident  species.  It  was  seldom 
that  one  could  not  approach  within  gun  shot,  even  in  open 
ground,  while  the  bird  was  sitting  perched  upon  either  a 
boulder  or  the  dead  branch  of  a  cypress.  They  especially 
frequented  the  central  and  higher  portions  of  the  island. 
By  the  middle  of  February  male  and  female  were  seen  in 
company,  one  pair  remaining  near  some  isolated  cypress 
tree,  while  another  pair  had  evidently  taken  up  their  abode 
in  a  rocky  cliff,  the  absence  of  suitable  tree-cavities  forcing 
them  to  adopt  some  convenient  hole  in  the  rocks  for  a  nest- 
ing place. 

Their  means  of  subsistence,  during  the  time  of  my  obser- 
vation, consisted  of  coleoptera,  caterpillars  and  other  insects, 
upon  which  food  they  became  quite  fat.  I  did  not  see  them 
in  pursuit  of  small  birds,  and  believe  it  is  not  their  custom 
to  molest  them,  at  least  while  insect  food  can  be  obtained. 

LIST   OF    SPECIMENS   COLLECTED. 


■ 

Sex 

Collector's 

and 

Date. 

Wing. 

Tail 

Bill  Irom 

Tarsus. 

Middle 

No. 

age. 

feathers. 

nostril. 

toe. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2410 

$ 

January  21,  1886 

188 

124 

10 

31 

23 

2520 

$  ad 

February  15,  1886 

188 

122 

11 

34 

25 

2519 

^ad 

February  15,1886 

195 

122 

11.5 

35 

23 

1687 

^ad 

January  15,  1885 

192 

125 

11.5 

36 

21 

ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  281 

The  feet,  cere  and  ophthalmic  region,  yellow  in  all  four. 
No.  2410. — Moulting.     Blue  of  wings  almost  unspotted.     Gizzard  contained 

beetles  only. 
No.  2520. — Contained  insects. 
No.  2519. — Very  fat.     Gizzard  contained  caterpillars. 

7.    Polyborus  lutosus. 

Guadalupe  Caracara. — In  January,  1885,  during  a  two 
days'  excursion  about  the  central  part  of  the  island,  but 
four  *'  Quelelis  "  were  Seen.  By  1886  their  number  had  been 
reduced  by  more  than  a  score  by  the  island  agent,  who 
never  missed  an  opportunity  to  kill  one.  Arriving  on  the 
island  in  the  summer  time,  when  ,the  birds  came  to  the 
shallow  pools  to  drink,  the  agent  would  lie  in  wait  behind 
a  boulder  and  pick  them  off  with  a  rifle.  The  birds,  if 
missed,  heeding  not  the  shot,  or,  if  but  slightly  wounded, 
not  realizing  the  danger,  remained  near,  making  certain  the 
destruction  of  all  that  came  to  drink  at  the  fatal  spring. 

During  my  rambles  I  frequently  came  upon  the  weather- 
beaten  carcasses  of  '*'  Quelelis  "  lying  where  they  had  fallen. 
In  one  place,  four  were  found  lying  dead  together. 

In  regard  to  their  numbers  and  destructive  ness  towards 
the  goats  running  wild  there,  the  facts  noticed  by  Dr.  Pal- 
mer in  1875,  thoroughly  substantiated  by  information  given 
me  by  sea-captains  and  seal-hunters,  are  not  apparent  at 
the  present  time.  Dr.  Palmer's  assistant,  Mr.  Harry  Stew- 
art of  San  Diego,  writes  me  that  he  is  unable  to  say  how 
many  were  on  the  island  at  the  time  he  was  there,  but 
that  they  were  in  great  numbers. 

Their  range  extends  over  the  entire  island,  from  beach  to 
summit.  I  believe  that  the  killing  of  several  goats  each 
week  near  the  central  part  of  the  island,  attracted  almost 
the  entire  number  of  *'  Quelelis  "  to  that  vicinity, 

Being  of  an  unsuspicious  character,  they  will  allow  a  per- 
son to  walk  directly  towards  them  until  within  shooting  dis- 
tance, merely  watching  the  intruder  until  the  distance  be- 
comes less  than  agreeable.     If  they  happen  to  be  upon  the 


282  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

ground  they  beat  a  retreat  at  an  awkward  walk  or,  if  neces- 
sary, a  run,  taking  wing  only  as  a  last  resort,  and  even  then 
flying  but  a  short  distance  before  alighting.  Their  actions, 
gait  and  positions,  while  on  the  ground  are  similar  to  those 
of  a  buzzard.  In  flight,  the  light  color  on  the  primaries  is 
distinctly  shown. 

During  several  consecutive  days,  a  "Queleli"  came  to  my 
camp,  searching  for  scraps  of  food.  One  day  I  saw  him 
making  ofl",  at  a  walk,  from  the  cook-house,  carrying  with 
him  a  piece  of  bone  from  the  leg  of  a  goat,  and  upon  which 
a  little  raw  meat  still  adhered.  With  this  bone,  fully  nine 
inches  in  length,  grasped  firmly  in  his  bill,  he  retired  to 
what  he  considered  a  safe  distance  before  commencing  his 
feast. 

As  far  as  my  observations  went,  the  birds  were  entirely 
silent,  but  the  agent  informed  me  that  when  perchance  a 
rifle  ball  carried  away  a  wing  or  a  foot,  the  unfortunate  bird 
would  scream  long  and  loudly.  If  the  wounded  creature 
happened  to  be  in  company  with  others  of  his  kind,  he 
would  be  immediately  attacked  and  killed.  One  which  was 
badly  wounded  attempted  to  escape  by  running,  with  the 
assistance  of  his  wings.  Being  overtaken  and  brought  to 
bay,  instead  of  throwing  himself  on  his  back  in  an  attitude 
of  defence,  or  uttering  a  cry  for  quarter,  he  raised  his  crest 
and  with  an  air  of  defiance,  calmly  awaited  death  as  became 
the  Eagle  of  Guadalupe.  Weakened  by  the  loss  of  blood 
which  poured  from  a  wound  in  his  throat,  he  finally  fell  for- 
ward and  died — silent  and  defiant  to  the  last. 

If  a  goat  was  killed  and  not  immediately  taken  to  camp, 
the  hunter  was  almost  certain  to  find  upon  his  return  that  a 
"Queleli"  (rarely  more  than  one)  had  taken  possession  of 
the  carcass. 

Their  food  during  the  season  of  caterpillars  consists 
almost  entirely  of  these  larvae,  with  a  slight  variation 
afforded  by  occasional  beetles  and  crickets.  Whenever  op- 
portunity offers  they  are  ready  to  gorge  themselves  upon 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 


283 


the  offal  of  a  slain  goat,  retiring  after  the  banquet  to  a  con- 
venient tree  to  await  the  process  of  digestion.  I  have  never 
known  of  their  eating  the  bodies  of  their  own  species,  but 
they  do  not  object  to  making  a  meal  off'  the  flesh  of  a  fat 
petrel  if  fortune  casts  a  dead  one  in  their  way. 

The  goats,  I  believe,  are  seldom  molested  in  a  time  of 
plenty  by  the  few  Eagles  that  remain,  although  during  a 
scarcity  of  food,  it  is  not  unlikely  that  they  would  attack  a 
kid  or  possibly  even  a  full  grown  animal.  By  the  latter 
part  of  April,  the  birds  had  apparently  not  paired,  and  I 
believe  the  eggs  are  not  laid  until  the  latter  part  of  May  or 
June. 

The  Mexicans  said  that  a  cliff  was  always  chosen  for  a 
nesting  place,  thus  making  their  nests  difficult  to  find  and 
still  more  difficult  of  access.  This  being  the  case,  I  fear 
the  eggs  will  long  remain  unknown. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS. 


Culmen 

Collector's  No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

Wing. 

Tail. 

from 
cere. 

Tarsus 

Middle  toe. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

1692 

S    ad. 

Jan.  15,  1885 

402 

260 

32 

92 

51 

2387 

S    ad. 

Jau.   4.  1886 

390 

260 

33 

84 

53 

2577 

$    ad. 

March  16,  1886 

399 

260 

33 

88 

53 

1691 

ad. 

Jan.   15,  1885 

418 

276 

33 

89 

53 

1699 

ad. 

Jan.   15,  1885 

405 

268 

33 

89 

56 

2408 

? 

ad. 

Jan.   8,  1886 

412 

266 

33 

90 

50 

2504 

ad. 

Feb.   16,  1886 

418 

285 

33 

84 

54 

2581 

ad. 

March  22,  1886 

414 

273 

33 

90 

55 

2409 

im. 

Jan.  18,  1886 

405 

260 

32 

92 

54 

2576 

$   im. 

March  16,  1886 

408 

257 

32 

88 

54 

Remarks. — The  adult  birds  have  light-brown  eyes.  Bill,  pale  bluish 
white.  Cere,  lores,  feet  and  legs,  chrome  yellow.  The  yellow  of  lores  as- 
sumes a  salmon  color  soon  after  death,  but  this  disappears  for  a  short  time 
if  a  finger  is  pressed  upon  the  spot,  resuming  again  the  salmon  color  as  the 
skin  dries.  Immature  birds  have  dark-brown  eyes.  Bill,  light  bluish. 
Lores,  not  chrome  yellow.  Feet  and  legs,  nearly  "Naples  yellow"  in  color. 
All  of  the  so-called  immature  birds  which  I  have  seen  (five  in  number)  have 
been  in  worn  or  ragged  plumage. 


284  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

No.  1692— Length,  609  mm.  One  foot  missiag  from  below  the  kuee;  an 
old  wound. 

No.  2387— Length,  603  mm.  Extent,  1260.5  mm.  Contained  feathers  and 
pieces  of  goat  meat. 

No.  1691— Length,  631  mm.     Extent,  1308  mm. 

No.  25S1— Fat.  Ovaries  slightly  enlarged.  Stomach  contained  a  foot  and 
some  feathers  of  a  petrel. 

No.  2409 — Ovaries  very  small. 

8.    Speotyto  cunicularia  hypogaea. 

Burrowing  Owl. — This  species  may  or  may  not  be  one  of 
the  two  kinds  of  '^Strigidce'  mentioned  in  the  "Ornithology 
of  Guadeloupe  Island,"  but  of  which  no  specimens  have 
ever  been  taken.  It  was  the  only  species  which  I  met  with, 
and  I  have  no  positive  evidence  of  there  being  any  other 
owls  on  the  island  while  I  was  there,  although  whenever  a 
favorable  night  offered  itself,  I  seized  the  opportunity  to 
watch  for  nocturnal  birds. 

The  Mexicaus  said  that  there  was  a  large  Owl  ("Teco- 
lote"),  which  they  had  occasionally  heard  hooting  at  night, 
but  that  it  was  very  rare. 

From  Dr.  Palmer's  assistant,  I  learned  that  one  of  the 
owls  which  was  known  to  be  on  the  island  was  a  Horned 
Owl  {Bubo). 

A  single  pair  of  Ground  Owls  were  the  only  ones  of  this 
species  met  with.  They  frequented  the  open  ground  on  the 
central  part  of  the  island  near  the  alkali  pools,  appearing 
only  after  dusk.  The  notes  made  at  the  time  will  perhaps 
give  the  best  idea  of  the  bird's  habits  as  far  as  these  were 
observed.  The  third  night  on  which  I  had  watched  for 
them  was  unusually  calm  and  quite  chilly.  The  lingering 
twilight  rendered  objects  still  visible  through  the  approach- 
ing gloom.  Nearing  a  large  boulder  beside  which  I  pur- 
posed to  take  my  stand  for  that  evening,  I  suddenly  started 
up  one  of  the  very  birds  of  which  I  was  in  search.  Fright- 
ened by  my  approach,  she  rose  a  short  distance  in  front  of 
me,  and  instead  of  alighting  on  a  rock,  as  I  expected,  an.d 
thus  keeping  me  within  sight,  she  dropped  behind  it,  dis- 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  285 

appearing  instantly.  As  I  cautiously  circled  around  the 
spot,  I  noticed  her  head  peering  out  from  one  side  of  the 
boulder,  and  at  once  fired.  After  smoothing  out  her  plum- 
age and  placing  her  upon  a  rock,  I  stationed  myself  against 
the  boulder  and  gun  in  hand  watched  for  the  male  whose 
call  I  had  heard  issuing  from  the  darkness.  Soon  the  call 
was  repeated  nearer  than  before,  and  the  form  of  an  owl 
rose  dark  above  the  horizon  not  twenty  feet  away.  He  dis- 
covered my  presence  just  as  I  threw  my  gun  into  position, 
and  giving  a  cry  of  alarm,  swerved  off.  He  was,  however, 
too  late  and  was  soon  placed  upon  the  rock  beside  his  maie. 
They  were  both  very  fat.  one  was  gorged  with  caterpillars, 
the  other  contained  a  single  small  beetle. 

LIST   OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


CoUector's  number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2453 
2452 

i    ad. 
?    ad. 

Feb.  2,  1886. 
Feb.   2,  1886. 

Iris  and  feet  yellow. 

9.    Golaptes  rufipileus 

Guadalupe  Flickee. — Comparatively  speaking,  this  bird 
was  not  rare  in  the  restricted  area  of  the  large  cypress  grove, 
but  apart  from  this  locality  less  tlian  a  dozen  were  seen. 
Three  specimens  were  taken  among  some  palms  within  a 
short  distance  from  the  beach  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 
island.  One  only  was  heard  among  the  pines  at  the  north  - 
ern  portion,  and  in  the  vicinity  of  the  large  palm  grove  on 
the  northwestern  slope  they  were  occasionally  seen. 

Of  all  the  species  of  this  family  I  have  ever  met  with, 
none  have  been  so  tame  and  unsuspicious  or  less  frightened 
by  the  report  of  a  gun.  In  January  I  witnessed  a  peculiar 
habit  not  before  noticed,  I  believe,  in  birds  of  this  genus. 
A  pair  of  Flickers  were  perched  facing  each  other  upon  a 

20— Bull.  Oal.  Acad.  Sci.    II.    6.  Issued  January  5,  1887 


286  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

gnarled  root  about  three  feet  from  the  ground,  their  heads 
within  a  foot  of  each  other.  Suddenly  the  male,  who  had 
been  sitting  motionless  before  the  female,  began  a  some- 
what grotesque  performance,  which  consisted  in  a  rapid 
bobbing  of  his  head.  In  this  he  was  immediately  followed 
by  the  female.  This  spasmodic  bobbing  and  bowing  they 
repeated  alternately  a  few  times,  when  both  stopped  as  sud- 
denly as  they  had  commenced.  After  an  interval  of  a  few 
seconds  the  male  began  again  and  was  joined  by  the  female. 
The  movement  resembled  more  an  upward  jerk  of  the  head 
than  a  bow. 

Approaching  on  my  hands  and  knees  to  get  a  closer  view, 
I  could  hear  a  low  chuckling  sound  while  these  strange  ac- 
tions were  in  progress.  What  the  outcome  of  this  love- 
making — for  such  I  regarded  it — would  have  been  I  did  not 
ascertain.  The  fear  of  losing  the  specimens  —  almost  the 
first  I  had  seen  —  prompted  me  to  fire.  The  first  shot 
brought  down  the  female.  At  the  report  away  flew  the 
male,  followed  by  another  male,  which,  unseen  by  me,  had 
been  quite  near,  on  the  ground.  They  returned  while  I  was 
still  holding  the  female,  and  thus  gave  me  an  opportunity 
of  securing  them  both.  Their  evident  lack  of  timidity  per- 
mitted me  to  draw  near  enough  to  plainly  distinguish  the 
characteristic  bright  red  cheek -patches.  In  February  I 
saw  a  repetition  of  the  action  above  noted,  the  birds  being 
in  a  cypress  tree  above  me.  They  were  very  tame,  espe- 
cially the  female,  who  came  quite  near  as  I  lay  upon  the 
ground,  whistling  "qiiit-tu,"  '^qiiit-tu,"  and  w^atching  her 
puzzled  actions.  In  a  half-dead  cypress  this  pair  had  par- 
tially pecked  a  cavity  for  a  nest. 

In  addition  to  the  familiar  scythe-whetting  notes  they 
have  the  peculiar  ''wake -up"  call  and  its  rapid  prelude  of 
monosyllables.  By  imitating  this  call  I  decoyed  a  distant 
female  to  within  short  range,  the  bird  coming  through  the 
thickest  of  the  cypress  grove,  stopping  at  short  intervals  to 
call  and  listen  for  a  reply. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  287 

The  food  of  this  species  during  a  portion  of  the  year  con- 
sists largely  of  smooth-skinned  caterpillars,  besides  numer- 
ous beetles  and  ants;  the  latter  are  always  obtainable  and 
growing  to  a  large  size  figure  as  an  important  item  of  their 
diet.  The  scarcity  of  decayed  trees  with  the  exception  of  fall- 
en ones,  necessitates  either  work  upon  seasoned  wood  or  the 
resort  to  dead  palm  stumps.  The  nests  vvill  therefore  be 
found  at  heights  varying  from  three  to  fifteen  feet. 

By  March  16,  the  birds  were  invariably  found  in  pairs, 
and  my  wish  to  secure  a  setting  of  eggs  before  departing 
seemed  in  a  fair  way  of  being  fulfilled.  Strolling  among 
the  cypress  on  the  27th  of  March,  I  found  four  trees  upon 
which  the  birds  were  at  work  or  had  been  recently,  and  in 
such  cases  the  birds  themselves  were  always  to  be  found  in 
the  immediate  vicinity.  Passing  a  half-dead  tree  I  heard 
the  sounding  taps  of  a  woodpecker  at  work,  and  as  I  neared 
the  spot,  the  slight  noise  which  I  made  as  I  carefully  picked 
my  way  over  the  rock-strewn  ground  caused  a  handsome 
male  bird  to  suddenly  appear  at  an  opening  about  four  feet 
high.  With  a  foot  grasping  either  side  of  the  entrance  he 
gazed  upon  the  intruder.  Having  comprehended  the  situa- 
tion, he  flew  to  another  tree,  where  he  quietly  awaited  my 
inspection  and  departure.  The  hole  was  then  down  about 
fifteen  inches.  By  April  7,  it  had  reached  a  depth  of  about 
twenty  inches  and  contained  six  fresh  eggs,  upon  which  the 
female  was  then  sitting.  As  no  description  has  hitherto 
appeared  of  the  eggs  of  this  species  it  may  be  well  to  pre- 
sent here  the  measurements  of  this  set.  (No.  803,  author's 
oological  collection.)  They  correspond  exactly,  both  in 
color  and  general  shape,  with  scores  of  other  eggs  of  this 
genus,  and  offer  the  following  measurements  in  millimeters : 
28x22;  28x22;  28x22.5;  29x22;  29.5x22;  29.5x22. 

A  comparison  of  the  measurements  of  the  specimens 
taken  on  Guadalupe  Island  with  those  of  the  same  genus 
which  I  have  in  my  possession  may  be  of  interest. 

Although  on  the  one  hand  the  collection  from  the  island 


288 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


is  probably  the  largest  that  has  been  obtained,  yet  on  the 
other  hand  my  series  of  the  other  form  is  not  as  full  as  could 
be  desired,  and  furthermore  I  possess  neither  specimen  nor 
description  of  the  recently  added  variety  saturatior.  In  the 
late  revision  of  the  nomenclature  of  North  American  birds, 
the  variety  liyhridus  was  rejected.  It  seemed  improbable 
that  the  wide  departures  from  typical  examples  of  either 
aiiratus  or  cafer  could  be  attributed  to  hybridism.  This 
fact  impressed  itself  more  and  more  on  my  mind  by  the 
ever  -  increasing  occurrence  of  the  so-called  Hybrid  Flicker. 
Specimens  of  this  genus,  however,  are  found  which  no 
stretch  of  the  imagination  can  reconcile  with  any  existing 
description  of  aaratus,  cafer  or  ru/ipileus,  and  I  have  no 
doubt  that  similar  departures  may  be  found  in  specimens  of 
chrysoides  and  saturatior. 

DIMENSIONS  OF    5   ad.  C.  RUFIP ILEUS. 


Collector's  No. 

Date.    1886. 

Wing. 

Tall. 

Tail-feathers 

Bill  from  nostril. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2405 

Jau.  8. 

146 

127 

110 

34 

2406 

Jan.  8. 

149 

123 

112 

32 

2460 

Feb.  2. 

148 

120 

116 

33 

2509 

Feb.  12. 

145 

126 

116 

32 

2511 

Feb.  12. 

147 

124 

111 

34 

2514 

Feb.  12. 

150 

122 

108 

30 

2521 

Feb.  15. 

152 

129 

109 

36.5 

2522 

Feb.  15. 

145 

125 

108 

34 

2524 

Feb.  19. 

147 

123 

108 

35 

2525 

Feb.  19, 

146 

128 

114 

36 

Average . . 

144.5 

124.7 

111.2 

33.5 

No.  2406.— Length  312  mm.     Extent,  499  mm. 
No.  2460.— Stomach  gorged  with  large  black  ants. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  289 

DIMENSION  OF  2  ad.  C.  RUFIPILEUS. 


Collector's  No. 

Date.     1886. 

Wing. 

Tail. 

Tail-feathers. 

Bill  from  nostril. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2380 

Jan.  2. 

149 

126 

Ill 

29 

2381 

Jan.  4. 

146 

120 

108 

32  5 

2407 

Jan.  8. 

143 

119 

104 

33 

2526 

Jan.  23. 

148 

123 

108 

36 

2427 

Jan.  23. 

148 

125 

110 

31 

2512 

Feb.  12. 

154 

129 

115 

34 

2513 

Feb.  12. 

148 

124 

109 

32 

2515 

Feb.  12. 

141 

117 

104 

34 

2516 

Feb.  12. 

146 

120 

107 

33 

2527 

Feb.  19. 

143 

125 

109 

30 

Average. . . 

146.6 

122.8 

108.5 

32.4 

No.  2380.— Length  328.8  mm.     Extent  487  mm.     Iris  dark  reddish -brown. 
No.  2381.— Length  312  mm.     Extent  476  mm. 
No.  2427.— Ovaries  smalL 

COLAPTES  CAFER  ?  ad. 


Collector's  No. 

Collector's  Name. 

Locality. 

Date. 

Bill  from  nostril. 

169 

W.  E.  Bryant. 

Berkeley,  Cal. 

Jan.  22,   1881. 

mm. 
31 

564 

((         (i 

Oakland,    Cal. 

Feb.  25,  1882. 

32 

599 

<(         1% 

Mt.Diablo,CaL 

Apr.     1,   1882. 

32 . 5 

772 

((         ( ( 

Oakland,    Cal. 

-Feb.  22,   1883. 

30 

1065 

D.  S.  Bryant. 

Mt.Diablo,Cal. 

May     5.   1878. 

31 

1095 

((         (( 

Oakland,   Cal. 

Mar.  27,  1879. 

31 

1175 

(C                   <( 

Lafayette,  Cal. 

Mar.  20,   1883^ 

0         30 

1742 

W.E.Bryant. 

Oakland,    Cal. 

Jan.   25,   1885. 

32 

1985 

>C                  <( 

Cl                         (( 

Mar.  12,   1885. 

31.5 

2636 

((            (( 

Scott  'ht^.  Cal. 

May  28,  1883. 

29 

Average. . . 

31 

No.  564. — Cheek-patches  indistinct. 
No.  599. — Tail  pinkish;  crown,  light  tawny-brown. 
No.  1065.— One  outer  tail-feather  yellow. 
No   1095. — Narrow,  red  nuchal  crescent. 
No.  1175. — Forehead  brown. 
No.  1742. — Crown  rufous  brown. 

No.  2636. — Tail  red;  one  outer  feather  yellow.     Anterior  portion  of  crown 
tawny-brown.     Caught  on  nest  containing  seven  eggs. 


290  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

COLAPTES  CAFER    $    ad. 


Collector's  No. 

Collector's  Name. 

Location. 

Date. 

Bill  from  nostril. 

980 
1006 

D.  S.  Bryant. 
D.  S.  Bryant. 

Oakland,  Cal. 
Gilroy,  Cal. 

Nov.  18,  1877. 
Dec.  23,  1877. 

33 
34 

By  an  inspection  of  the  preceding  tables,  it  will  be  seen 
that  the  long  bill  is  by  no  means  a  constant  difference. 
"While  the  length  will  average  greater  in  j^flpileus,  specimens 
are  found  with  the  bill  shorter  than  the  average  of  cafer. 
The  two  examples  of  cafer  given  in  comparison  with  rufipi- 
leus  in  the  ' '  Ornithology  of  Guadeloupe  Island  "  were  from 
Washington  Territory,  and  under  the  present  arrangement, 
I  presume  would  be  classed  as  sakiratior,  rather  than  as 
"  true  Mexicanus"  (cafer). 

As  yet  I  have  seen  no  description  of  the  male  plumage  of 
the  Guad^^upe  Flicker,  but  I  am  informed  that  one  is  soon 
to  be  published. 

Some  of  the  specific  characteristics  w^iich  serve  to  distin- 
guish this  insular  species  from  the  continental  form,  cafer, 
will  be  briefly  noticed. 

In  the  majority  of  the  specimens  before  me,  the  charac- 
teristic of  the  more  pinkish  tinge  to  the  rump  and  upper 
tail  coverts — especially  the  latter — seems  to  hold  good. 
But  in  some  individuals  these  parts  are  whiter  than  will  be 
found  in  certain  specimens  of  cofer.  By  raising  the  upper 
tail  coverts  and  viewing  them  from  the  under  side,  the 
depth  of  the  coloring  may  be  best  determined-  This  is  of  a 
sulphurous  tinge  in  auratus. 

The  bright  tawny  forehead  is  usually  brighter  in  the 
males,  and  extends  farther  back  on  the  neck.  No  specimens 
of  cafer,  which  I  have  examined,  are  as  richly  marked  as  the 
most  typical  examples  of  rufipileus,  but  individuals  of  the 
latter  sometimes  posysess  less  of  the  tawny  brown  than  ex- 
treme cases  among  cafer. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  291 

I  have  found  but  two  exceptions  to  the  extent  of  black  on 
the  ends  of  the  retrices.  One  in  the  case  of  a  female  rvfipi- 
leus,  in  which  the  black  reaches  only  about  38  mm.  from 
the  ends  of  the  feathers,  and  the  other  a  female  cafer  (ior- 
merly  liyhridus)  in  which  the  black  extends  about  57  mm. 
In  typical  rufipileus,  the  black  covered  about  63  mm.  of  the 
ends.     This  I  found  to  be  the  most  constant  difference. 

The  absence  in  every  case  of  a  definite  or  clearly  defined 
cheek-patch  in  the  females,  and  also  the  absence  of  mar- 
ginal light  spots  on  the  outer  web  of  the  exterior  retrices  in 
both  sexes,  will  aid  in  determining  this  species.  These 
spots,  although  rarely  if  ever  wanting  in  typical  cafer  are 
seldom  or  never  found  in  rufipileiis.  An  apparent  exception 
is  found  in  a  male  from  Guad^j^upe  Island,  which  has  a 
slight  touch  of  light  on  the  webs. 

10.    Micropus  melanoleucus. 

White-throated  Swift. — On  January  12,  a  flock  of  about 
fifty  swifts  passed  near  camp,  moving  towards  the  north- 
east. They  flew  in  every  direction,  but  kept  well  together, 
and  gradually  ascended  to  a  higher  altitude.  I  could  not 
get  near  enough  to  distinguish  any  characteristic  markings. 
They  were  again  seen  during  a  few  hours  of  sunshine  on  the 
15th,  but  only  at  a  distance. 

A  storm  of  wind,  rain  and  dense  fog,  which  had  lasted 
almost  without  interruption  for  twelve  days,  cleared  away 
January  21,  and  with  the  welcome  and  returning  sunshine 
came  the  swifts.  They  were  flying  lower  than  usual,  and 
occasionally  one  would  chatter  as  he  swept  above  the  tree- 
tops.  The  birds  were  feeding  upon  a  species  of  slender 
black  fly,  with  which  the  air  was  swarming,  and  although 
dispersed  for  a  time  by  the  report  of  a  guu,  they  soon  re- 
turned to  their  feast.  As  late  as  April,  they  were  still  on 
the  island,  but  only  a  few  at  a  time  were  seen,  the  flock  hav- 
ing evidently  separated,  although  not  apparently  paired  off. 
One  calm  day,  about  a  dozen  birds  were  seen  skimming  low 
over  the  grass  in  the  manner  of  swallows.    As  far  as  my  ob- 


292 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


servations  go,  this  is  something  unusual  for  this  species, 
which  usually  descends  towards  the  earth  only  in  dull,  rainy 
weather  in  pursuit  of  insects  driven  lower  by  the  humid 
atmosphere.  If  the  birds  were  to  remain  on  the  island  dur- 
ing the  summer,  they  could  find  an  abundance  of  suitable 
nesting  places  in  the  cliffs,  either  on  the  shore  or  on  the 
side  of  the  table-land  where  the  small  cypress  grove  stands. 

LIST  OF   SPECIMENS. 


Collector's  number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2411 

2584 

9  ad. 
9  ad. 

Jan.  21,   1886. 
March  26,    1884. 

2584. — Ovaries,  small. 


11.    Trochilus  anna. 

Anna's  HuMMma-BiRD. — This  diminutive  straggler  is  no 
doubt  the  species  seen  by  Dr.  Palmer  eleven  years  agOj  but 
of  which  he  did  not  succeed  in  obtaining  a  specimen.  I 
had  been  in  hopes  of  finding  in  this  bird  a  new  species  of 
hammer.  When  the  month  of  March  arrived  and  I  had  not 
even  caught  a  glimpse  of  the  bird,  although  on  one  or  two 
occasions  I  had  heard  it  buzz  as  it  went  past,  my  hopes  of 
securing  this  unidentified  species  were  almost  gone,  and  I 
fully  resolved  to  shoot  on  sight  the  first  I  saw.  Keturning 
one  day  to  my  temporary  camp  from  an  excursion  through 
the  pine  belt,  both  barrels  of  my  gun  loaded  with  round 
ball  (IJ  oz.),  I  stopped  at  the  foot  of  a  fallen  pine,  intent 
upon  watching  a  small  band  of  goats,  when  suddenly  my 
Mexican  companion  seized  my  arm  and  whispered :  "la 
chuparrosa,  senor."  Following  with  my  eyes  the  direction 
indicated  by  his  outstretched  hand,  I  saw  a  female  hummer 
upon  a  dead  twig  among  the  pine  branches,  pluming  her- 
self. The  feelings  I  experienced  some  years  ago  in  meeting  a 
panther,  at  dusk,  in  a  wooded  canon  when  my  gun  was 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  293 

loaded  for  quail,  were  not  dissimilar  to  those  which  now 
came  over  me  as  I  gazed  upon  the  coveted  hummer  not  fif- 
teen feet  away,  and  realized  that  my  gun  contained  ball. 

As  I  broke  open  the  breech  and  dropped  the  provoking 
loads,  the  bird  rose  and  hovering  about  for  a  few  seconds, 
during  which  I  reloaded  and  waited  in  a  fever  of  suspense, 
she  returned  to  nearly  the  same  spot,  when  I  fired  and  killed 
— only  an  Anna  humming-bird.  Later  I  took  another  fe- 
male, and  afterwards  a  male,  the  two  latter  being  found  in 
the  small  cypress  grove.  The  dearth  of  honied  flowers  must 
at  times  force  them  to  subsist  almost  entirely  upon  insect 
food.  The  Mexicans  told  me  that  I  would  find  them  in 
great  numbers  about  the  palm  trees  on  the  northwestern 
slope;  but  an  expedition  to  that  region  resulted  in  a  total 
failure  as  far  as  the  object  for  which  it  was  undertaken  was 
concerned,  although  the  addition  of  two  more  straggling 
species  to  those  already  taken  compensated  me  for  the  fa- 
tigue of  the  journey. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date.    1886. 

2588 
2531 

2582 

S  ad. 
?   ad. 
?   ad. 

March  29. 
March  4. 
March  22. 

12.  Sturnella  magna  neglecta. 

Western  Meadow  lark. — A  single  specimen  was  seen  in 
the  palm  grove  on  the  22d  day  of  March.  Although  I  ap- 
proached quite. near  as  he  sat,  loudly  singing  from  the  top 
branch  of  a  fallen  pine,  I  failed  to  capture  him.  That  un- 
successful shot,  one  of  the  '' unaccoun tables"  of  a  hunter- 
naturalist's  experiences,  seemed  at  the  time  to  be  one  of  the 
keenest  disappointments  of  my  life. 

13.  Carpodacus  amplus. 

Guadalupe  House  Finch. — When  I  arrived  at  the  island 


294  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

in  January,  1885,  a  few  birds,  usually  in  pairs,  were  found 
near  the  settlement.  At  the  door  of  one  of  the  huts,  hang- 
ing in  a  cage,  were  several  of  this  species,  one  of  which, 
an  adult  male,  had  assumed  the  yellow  plumage  which  others 
of  this  genus  take  on  when  confined. 

Soon  after  settling  on  the  top  of  the  island  in  December, 
1885,  the  "  Gorrions "  began  to  collect  about  the  camp, 
making  the  mornings  joyous  with  their  song. 

By  our  refraining  from  discharging  fire-arms  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  camp,  they  soon  became  quite  tame, 
hopping  about  camp  during  the  day,  and  roosting  at  night  in 
the  thickest  cypress,  or,  during  a  storm,  under  the  eaves  of 
the  palm-thatched  huts.  On  the  24th  of  January  I  counted 
fourteen  within  a  stone's  throw  of  camp,  and  attracted  by 
the  bread  crumbs  and  other  food  which  I  threw  out  for 
them,  their  numbers  daily  increased  until  on  the  1st  of 
February  the  census  of  birds  in  camp,  including  both  sexes, 
showed  a  total  of  twenty-two.  Two  weeks  later  they  sud- 
denly departed,  and  were  to  be  found  only  in  pairs  about 
the  cypress  groves,  save  in  the  center  of  the  pine  belt, 
where  the  blossoms  and  seeds  of  the  ''  chick-weed  "  some- 
times attracted  a  flock  of  half  a  dozen,  who  busied  them- 
selves feasting  upon  this  tender  food.  Nothing,  either  in 
their  habits  or  song,  differed  from  C.  frontalis  rhodocolpus. 

They  are  easily  entrapped  under  a  box,  and  it  was  in  this 
way  that  the  Mexican  women  at  the  settlement  succeeded  in 
catching,  during  my  stay,  as  many  as  two  or  three  dozen, 
which  they  ate. 

The  dissection  of  specimens  showed  the  food  to  consist 
chiefly  of  seeds  from  the  cypress  tree,  mingled  with  green 
seeds  of  "  chick-weed."  Some  of  those  taken  near  camp 
had  their  crops  well  filled  with  bits  of  tallow  picked  from 
the  body  of  a  goat  which  had  been  dressed  and  hung  under 
a  tree. 

Two  nests  were  found  in  cypress  trees  nearly  completed 
by  February  22.    A  nest  and  set  of  five  fresh  eggs  (No.  792, 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  295 

author's  oological  collection),  which  in  consequence  of  a 
heavy  storm  had  been  deserted,  was  taken  on  the  1st  of  March. 
From  this  date  began  the  nesting  season  of  this  species. 

The  last  nest,  taken  April  7th,  contained  five  eggs,  with 
small  embryos  in  them.  In  nearly  every  instance,  the  birds 
selected  for  a  nesting  place  the  upper  side  of  a  cypress 
branch  in  the  angle  formed  by  its  intersection  with  the 
trunk,  thus  avoiding  the  storm-shaken  foliage.  They  seemed 
to  show  a  preference  for  the  leeward  side  of  a  tree,  where 
the  nest  would  be  protected  from  prevailing  winds.  One 
prudent  couple  had  built  in  a  clump  of  mistletoe,  at  a  height 
of  twenty  feet. 

Several  pairs  built  in  the  tops  of  palms.  The  nests  were 
ordinarily  not  more  than  ten  or  fifteen  feet  from  the  ground. 

The  birds  make  but  slight  demonstrations  while  their  nest 
is  being  removed,  uttering  only  a  few  notes  of  protest,  or 
silently  witnessing  a  wrong  hitherto  unknown  to  them. 

The  material  used  for  the  outer  structure  of  the  nests 
consisted  of  the  dark,  dead  stems  of  weeds,  only  the  finer 
ones  being  selected.  One  nest  found  in  a  pine  tree,  had 
the  foundation  and  sides  made  of  pine  needles,  with  the 
invariable  lining  of  goat's  hair,  black  or  white  being  used 
indiscriminately.  The  external  diameter  of  the  nest  is 
about  130  mm.,  with  a  central  cavity  of  about  65  mm. 

The  eggs,  sometimes  four  in  number,  but  oftener  five 
during  the  early  part  of  the  season,  are  colored  precisely 
like  the  average  specimens  of  C.  frontalis  rhodocol'pus,  the 
sjjots  being  either  sparingly  applied  or  entirely  wanting. 
They  also  resemble  them  in  general  shape,  but  the  size 
serves  to  distinguish  them.  The  five  eggs  of  set  No.  792, 
measure  respectively  22  x  15;  22  x  15.5;  22.5  x  15.5;  23  x 
15.5;  23  X  16.5  mm.  The  length  measurement  varies  from 
19.5-24  mm.,  and  the  width  15-16.5  mm.  The  average  of 
thirty-two  specimens  is  21.3  x  15.5  mm. 

In  the  table  of  measurements,  I  have  selected  from  a  good 


296 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


series,  those  which  exhibit  extreme  size,  more  or  less,  as 
well  as  average  specimens. 

DIMENSIONS  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collec- 

Sex and 

Tail- 

Bill  from 

Depth  of 

Breadth 

Tar- 

Middle 

tor's 

Date. 

Wing. 

No. 

agf. 

feathers 

nostril. 

bill. 

of  bill. 

sus. 

toe. 

mm 

mm 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

]682 

S     ad. 

Jan.  15,  1885. 

83 

65 

11 

12 

9 

19 

18 

1688 

$     ad. 

Jan.  15,  1885. 

81 

63 

10.5 

12 

9 

20 

16 

2376 

S     ad. 

Jan.    2,  1886. 

82 

64 

10.5 

12 

9.5 

19.5 

16 

2377 

$     ad. 

Jan.    2,  1886. 

80 

63 

n 

12 

9 

19.5 

17 

2465 

$     ad. 

Feb.  16,  1886. 

82 

62 

10.5 

11 

9 

19 

16 

2469 

$     ad 

Feb.  16,  1886. 

83 

65 

11 

11 

8.5 

19.5 

16 

2544 

S     ad. 

Mar.  4,  1886. 

84 

63 

10 

11.5 

9 

19 

15 

2545 

0     im. 

Mar.  4,  1886. 

80 

62 

11 

11 

9 

19 

17 

2549 

S     ad. 

Mar.  4,   1886. 

79 

61 

10 

10 

8 

18 

16 

2550 

$     ad. 
age.. . . 

Mar.  4,  1886. 

81 
81.5 

63 

11 

12 

9 

19 

16 

Aver 

63.1 

10  6 

11.4 

8.9 

19.1 

16.6 

No.  2376.— Testes  very  small.     Length  174  mm. 
No.  2377.  -Length  171  mm.     Extent  263  mm. 


Extent  266  mm. 


Collect- 

Sex 

Tail 

Bill 

Depth  of 

Breadth 

Tar- 

Middle 

or's 

and 

Date. 

Wing. 

from 

No. 

age. 

feathers. 

nostril. 

bill. 

of  bill. 

sus. 

toe 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

1681 

Vat/. 

Jan.  15,    1885 

82 

62 

11 

9 

20 

17 

1686 

'^ad. 

Jan.  15,    1885 

80 

62 

10 

9 

19 

17 

2689 

^ad. 

Jan    15,    1885 

72 

62 

10 

9 

19 

16 

2378 

^ad. 

Jan.     2,    1886 

79 

60.5 

10.5 

8.5 

18.5 

17 

2660 

^ad. 

Feb.  16,    1886 

79 

63 

10 

9 

18 

16 

2420 

'^ad. 

Jan.  23,    1886 

78 

57 

10 

9 

18 

16 

2472 

'^ad 

Feb.  16,   1886 

79 

61 

10 

9 

19 

17 

2551 

^ad. 

March  4,  1886 

72 

59 

10.5 

8.5 

19 

17 

2552 

"^ad. 

March  4,  1886 

79 

59 

11 

9 

19 

17 

2553 

Had. 

March  4,  1886 

79 

60 

11 

9 

19 

16 

Average 

77.9 

60.5 

10.4 

11 

8.9 

18.8 

16.6 

No.  2378. — Ovaries  very  small.    Length,  167.5  mm.    Extent,  258  mm. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  297 

14.    Loxia  curvirostra  stricklandi. 

Mexican  Crossbill.— This  specie^  found  only  through 
the  narrow  pine  belt,  I  estimated  to  number  about  a  score. 
They  remained  high  up  in  the  pines,  flying  hurriedly  among 
the  tree  tops,  uttering  what  seemed  to  me  a  frightened  note. 
Occasionally  a  pair,  seldom  a  single  bird,  would  be  seen  on 
the  top  of  a  fallen  tree,  but  never  upon  the  ground.  The 
only  food  which  dissection  proved  them  to  have  been  feed- 
ing upon,  was  pine  seeds.  No  nests  were  found,  although 
several  were  no  doubt  being  built,  if  not  already  completed 
by  the  middle  of  February.  A  comparison  of  the  island 
cross-bill  with  typical  examples  of  minor  and  stricMandi, 
shows  it  to  belong  to  the  latter  variety,  although  the  upper 
mandible  is  nearlv  or  quite  one-third  thicker  than  the  lower. 

If  we  assign  all  Eastern  birds  to  minor  and  Western  ones 
to  stricklandi,  an  exception  must  be  made  of  No.  78,186, 
which  in  the  Smithsonian  Institution  is  labeled  minor, 
although  it  came  from  Santa  Cruz,  California. 

'*The  diversity  in  general  size,  size  and  shape  of  bill,  -and 
color  which  they  present  is  enough  to  convince  any  one  that 
these  characters  are  subject  to  a  wide  range  of  variation  and 
are  not  dependent,  except  within  broad  limits,  on  geograph- 
ical considerations.  ■5«-  *  ^  *  -^  ^  It  seems  obvious 
that  the  variations  just  referred  to  are  either  purely  indi- 
vidual or  dependent  on  age."^ 

In  the  following  tabulated  measurements,  the  length  of 
the  exposed  culmen  is  given  on  account  of  having  been 
oftener  measured,  although  it  is  more  difficult  to  determine 
accurately  than  the  distance  from  nostril,  which  is  also  in- 
cluded. The  bill  is  found  curving  to  the  right  as  often  as 
to  the  left. 


Note  '^—William  Brewster  in  Auk.  Vol.  VIII.  No.  2.  p.  261. 


298  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Col- 

Ex- 
posed 
culmen. 

Bill  from 

Depth 

Mid- 

lect'rs 

Sex  and 
age. 

Date.     1886. 

Wing. 

Tail 
j feathers 

of  bill 
at 

Tar- 
sus, 

dle 
toe& 

No. 

nostril. 

base. 

claw. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2474 

^ 

a^ 

Feb.  16. 

93 

54.5 

16 

14 

10 

16.5 

20 

2475 

^ 

arZ. 

*'      " 

87 

51 

15 

13 

9 

14 

19 

2476 

(^ 

ad. 

((     << 

100 

60 

18 

16 

11 

17 

20 

2480 

c^ 

im. 

»<       a 

88.5 

53 

15 

14 

10 

14  5 

19.5 

2481 

5 

ad. 

Average . . . 

88 

52.5 

17.5 

15 

10.5 

16 
15.6 

19.5 

91.3 

52.2 

16.3 

14.4 

10.1 

19.6 

2477 

? 

ad. 

Feb.  16. 

87 

52 

15 

13.5 

9 

14 

19 

2478 

? 

ad. 

(<          (  c 

84 

52 

16 

14 

9 

14 

18 

2479 

? 

ad. 

<t      (( 

90 

52 

16 

14.5 

10.5 

16 

22 

2554 

? 

ad. 

March  4. 
Average. .. 

90 

87.7 

52 

17 

15 

9.5 

17 

20 

52 

16 

14.2 

9.5 

15.2 

19.7 

LOXIA  CUKVIROSTRA  STRICKLANDI. 


Col. 
lec- 
tr's 
No. 

Sex 
and 
age. 

cfad 

Collector 

C.E.Aiken 
L.  Locke . 

Locality. 

WniteMt8.,Ar 
Olema,  Cal. 

Wing 

mm. 

100 

85 

Tail 
feath- 
ers. 

mm. 
60 
51 

Ex-      Bill 
posed  from 
cul-    nos- 
men.;  tril. 

Depth 

of  bill 

at 

base. 

'J'ir- 
sus. 

Mid- 
dle 
toe& 
claw 

Date. 

705 

1 

mm.  mm. 
19       16.5 
15       13 

mm. 
11 

8 

mm 

18 

14.5 

mm. 
21 
21 

Sep.  30,  '76 

The  first  is  in  collection  of  H.  W.  Henshaw,  the  second  in  collection  of  W. 
O.  Emerson. 

15.    Zonotrichia  coronata. 

Golden-crowned  Sparrow. — Three  birds  of  this  species 
were  found  feeding  upon  "chick-weed"  amongst  the  pines. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's    Number. 

Sex   and  age. 

Date,  1886. 

Remarks. 

25f.2 
2503 
2532 

Feb.  16. 
Feb.  16. 
March  4. 

Moulting. 

ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 


299 


16.    Spizella  socialis  arizonae. 

Western  Chipping  Sparrow.— Returning  to  camp  one 
noon,  I  heard  the  song-note  of  this  species,  and  was  for- 
tunate enough  to  secure  it.  No  others  were  known  to  be  on 
the  island. 

In  accordance  with  the  division  of  S.  socialis  into  Eastern 
and  Western  forms,  this  single  specimen,  taken  on  Guada- 
lupe Island,  would  have  to  be  assigned  to  the  variety  ari- 
zonce,  but  in  point  of  fact  it  will  not  answer  to  the  original 
description  (Coue's  Key,  1872,  p.  143),  wherein  no  measure- 
ments are  given.  A  later  description,  however  (B.  B.  &  R. 
Hist.  N.  Am.  B.,  1874,Yol.  II,  p.  11),  may  be  made  applicable 
to  the  case  of  western  birds  which  I  have  seen  from  this 
State  by  omitting  from  the  original  description:  ''black 
frontlet  lacking,  and  no  definite  ashy  superciliary  line,  the 
sides  of  the  crown  merelv  lighter  brown;  bill  brown,  pale 
below." 

Excepting  the  bill,  which  is  ''brown,  pale  below,"  in 
this  instance,  the  measurements  fall  within  the  limitations 
of  arizonce. 

DIMENSIONS    OF    SPECIMENS. 


Collector's 
No. 

Sex 
and 
age 

Date. 

Wing. 

Tail. 

Tail 
feath- 
ers. 

Bill 
from 
nos- 
tril. 

m  m. 

6 

Tar- 
sus. 

mm 

Middle  toe 
and    claw. 

Length. 

Extent. 

2394. 

$ 

Jan.  6,  1886. 

mm, 
72 

mm. 
64 

mm. 
60 

mm. 
15 

mm. 
147.5 

mm. 
231.5 

17.    Junco  hyemalis  oregonus. 

Oregon  Junco. — One  bird,  which  was  quite  shy,  was 
taken  among  the  pines  on  a  cold,  windy  day,  during  which 
the  tops  of  the  trees  and  part  of  the  timber  belt  were  at 
times  entirely  enveloped  by  fog.  When  first  seen  this  bird 
was  being  viciously  attacked  by  a  resident  junco  (insularis). 


300  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

DIMENSIONS  OF    SPECIMEN. 


Collector's 
No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

Wing. 

Tail 
feathers. 

Bill  from 
nostril . 

Tarsus. 

Middle   toe. 

2189 

(?)5  ad. 

Feb.  16,  1886 

mm. 

71 

mm. 
62 

mm. 

7.5 

mm. 
20 

mm. 
16 

Remarks — The  wing  and  tail  are  both  a  trifle  shorter  than  specimeus 
from  Oakland  (3)  and  Big  Trees,  Cal.,  (1),  but  no  more  than  might  be  ex- 
pected in  individual  variation. 

18.    Junco  insular  is. 

Guadalupe  Junco. — In  his  notes,  Dr.  Palmer  refers  to 
this  species  as  "the  most  abundant  birds  of  the  island," 
etc.  According  to  my  observation  they  rank  about  third  in 
relative  abundance,  the  rock-wrens  and  linnets  taking  pre- 
cedence. No  juncos  were  found  at  a  lower  altitude  than 
the  palm  grove,  and  the  majority  were  inhabitants  of  the 
pines  and  large  cypress  grove.  A  pair  \.hich  was  evidently 
mated  was  taken  in  the  small  cypress  grove  on  the  15th  of 
January,  1885.  The  following  year  not  more  than  two  or 
three  were  seen  in  this  locality. 

I  did  not  find  them  noticeably  tamer  than  the  linnets, 
nor  so  confiding  as  the  rock- wrens.  Their  food  was  princi- 
pally of  seeds,  a  partiality  being  shown  for  the  green  seeds 
of  the  "  Avild  lettuce."  Their  song  was  twice  heard  from 
the  top  of  tall  cypress  trees.  It  resembles  somewhat  the 
trill  of  the  chipping  sparrow.  They  also  had  a  sharp  chip- 
ping note  when  alarmed.  They  remained  mostly  either 
upon  the  ground  or  low  down  in  the  branches  of  trees.  The 
limbs  of  a  fallen  pine  were  a  favorite  resort  at  all  times,  and 
the  ground  underneath  most  used  as  a  nesting-place. 

The  Blue  "Gorrions"  mated  early — soon  after  the  be- 
ginning of  the  year — and  were  setting  by  the  26th  of  Jan- 
uary, regardless  of  the  almost  continuous  fogs  and  winds. 
A  nest  found  March  10  contained  four  young,  hatched  but  a 
few  days  before.      It  was  placed  in  a  depression,  flush  with 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  301 

the  surface  of  the  ground,  and  so  carefully  hidden  beneath 
a  covering  of  brush  that  it  was  found  with  difficulty,  even 
though  I  was  guided  by  hearing  the  young  "  peeping"  for 
food.  The  parent  birds,  who  were  close  by,  seemed  but 
little  alarmed,  uttering  only  an  occasional  chirp  while  I 
searched  for  their  treasure.  Six  days  later  the  nest  was 
vacant,  being  probably  robbed  by  a  stray  cat. 

Full  fledged  young  were  taken  March  16;  also  a  nest  with 
three  fresh  eggs,  which  had  been  found  nearly  completed  on 
the  10th.     The  position  of  the  nest  was  curious  and  unique, 
and  it  was  only  by  seeing  the  birds  at  work  building  that  I 
succeeded   in    discovering   it.      A   pine   tree   with  a  cleft 
six  feet  from  the  ground,  or  rather  two  trees  with  a  common 
trunk,  grew  near  to  the  edge  of  a  precipice,  and  in  this  nar- 
row cleft  partially  filled  with  pine  needles  the  juncos  had 
built.     By  standing  on  a  pile  of  rocks  and  branches  I  could 
see  the  eggs  lying  in  the  nest,  about  a  foot  below  where  the 
trees  joined.     A  fluff  of  cotton  pushed  down  on  the  end  of  a 
stick   to  cover  the  nest,    protected  the  eggs  from  bits  of 
bark  and  chips,  while  I  enlarged  the  opening  to  a  sufficient 
size  to  admit  my  hand.     While  the  eggs  were  being  care- 
fully placed  in  a  collecting  box,  the  birds,  who  had  remained 
interested  rather  than  alarmed  witnesses  to  the  spoliation, 
tlew  to  the  tree,  and,  while  the  male  clung  to  the  bark  at 
the  entrance,  the  female  hopped  down  within  and  began  the 
removal  of  the  debris  which  had  fallen  upon  the  edge  of  the 
nest.     This  was  at  length  cleared  away  by  repeated  trips 
into  the  hole,  each  journey  bringing  to  the  opening  a  bit  of 
wood,  which  was  promptly  dropped  to   the  ground.     The 
nest  is  composed  of  a  few  pieces  of  bark-moss,  light-colored 
dry  grass  blades,  and  a  tail  feather  of  a  petrel,  all  surround- 
ing a  quantity  of  grass  blades,  lined  within  with  goat  hair. 
It  measures  externally  about  120  mm.  in  diameter   by  80 
mm.  in  height,  with  a  receptacle  60  mm.  in  diameter  and 
onty  28  mm.  in  depth. 

The  three  eggs  which   the  nest  contained  (set  No.  797, 

21— Bull.  Cal.  Acad.  Sci.    II.    6.  Issued  January  5,  18H7. 


302 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


author's  oblogical  collection)  were  probably  a  second  setting, 
the  ragged  appearance  of  the  female's  plumage  indicating 
previous  cares.  In  color  the  eggs  are  a  pale  greenish  white, 
marked  with  fine  dots  of  reddish  brown  clustered  around 
the  larger  end.  They  measure  19.5x15;  20x15.5;  20x16 
millimeters. 

MEASUREMENTS  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's 

Sex  and 

Date.               Wing. 

Tall 

Bill  from 

Depth  of 

Tarsus. 

Middle 

No. 

age. 

i 

feathers. 

nostril. 

bin. 

toe. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

1683 

Sad. 

Jan.    15,    1885. 

71 

61 

9.5 

7 

20 

15 

2375 

Sad. 

Jan.     2,    1886.!  70 

62.5 

9.5 

6 

20 

15 

2385 

Sad. 

Jan.     4,    1886.'  70.5 

64 

9.5 

6.5 

20 

15.5 

2418 

Sad. 

Jan.   23,    1886.!  65 

57 

9.5 

6.5 

19.5 

15.5 

2431 

Sad. 

Jan.   26,    1886.;  70 

60 

9. 

7 

19.5 

16 

2434 

Sad. 

Jan.   26,    1886.1  65 

59 

9. 

6.5 

20 

14 

2442 

Sad. 

Jan.    29,    1886.    68 

57 

9.5 

6.5 

19.5 

15 

2458 

Sad. 

Feb.     4,    1886.1  69.5 

60.5 

10. 

6.5 

20 

15 

2537 

Sad. 

March  4.    1886.;  68 

60 

8.5 

6.5 

19 

15 

2575 

Sad. 

March  16,  1886.    71 

62 

10. 

7 

19 

15 

Average 

68.8 

60.3 

9.4 

6.6 

19.6 

15.1 

1684 

9  ad. 

Jan.    15,    1S85. 

65 

56 

9. 

7 

20 

15 

2432 

$ad. 

Jan.   26,    1886. 

64 

55 

9. 

6 

20 

14.5 

2574 

2  ad. 

March  16, 1886. 
Average 

62 
63.6 

5i 

8.5 

6 

19 

15 

55 

8.8 

6.3 

19.6 

14  8 

No.  2375. -Testes  large;  length,  155  mm.;  extent,  223  mm. 

No.  2385.— Length,  162  mm.;  extent,  230  mm. 

No.  2431.— Testes  very  large;  mate  of  No.  2432. 

No.  2458. — Tes'es  very  large. 

No.  2432.— Setting;  mate  of  No.  2431;  parents  of  nest  No.  797. 

19.    Melospiza  lincolni. 

Lincoln's  Sparrow.  —  The  small  cypress  grove,  on  the 
border  of  which  I  had  my  permanent  camp,  was  my  favor- 
ite ground  for  observation  and  furnished  me  with  many 
stragglers,  among  which  was  a  pair  of  these  birds.  They 
were  taken  on  different  days  from  among  the  brush  inclosing 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 


303 


an  old  goat  corral.  The  slightest  noise  would  drive  them 
into  the  dense  brush,  from  which  they  would  again  appear 
when  all  was  quiet. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date.    1886. 

Remarks. 

2461 
2523 

S  ad. 
?  ad. 

Februarj'^  5. 
February  19. 

Testes  small. 
Ovaries  small . 

20.   Fasserella  iliaca  unalaschensis. 

Townsend's  Sparrow. — One  bird  was  taken  among  the 
pines,  but  so  badly  cut  by  the  shot  that  the  sex  could  not 
be  determined.     No  others  were  seen. 


DATA  OF  SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  Number. 

Age. 

When  Collected. 

2490 

^ad. 

Feb.  16,  1886. 

21.    Pipilo  consobrinus. 

Guadalupe  Towhee. — The  towhees  were  found  only  in 
the  large  cypress  grove.  They  were  easily  overlooked  un- 
less directly  in  one's  path  among  the  trees.  When  singing 
the  bird  could  be  readily  traced  and  secured,  but  in  such 
cases  it  was  always  a  male.  Only  two  females  were  seen, 
and  I  cannot  believe  that  their  number  was  in  any  degree 
equal  to  that  of  the  males,  for  otherwise  I  do  not  believe  it 
possible  that  I  could  have  so  completely  overlooked  them, 
even  though  they  might  have  been  setting.  I  was  about 
the  grove  at  all  hours  of  the  day,  camped  there,  and  was 
astir  at  break  of  dawn,  even  before  the  male  towhee  had 
mounted  his  throne  on  the  topmost  branch  of  a  cypress  and 
had  sounded  his  morning  trill.  This  song  closely  resem- 
bles that  of  P.  maculatus  megalonyx,  but  has  one  important 


304  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

variation  which  was  almost  invariably  given,  and  which  I 
have  never  heard  from  megalonyx.  This  consists  in  a  single 
quick  note,  somewhat  like  a  bluebird's,  given  immediately 
before  the  trill,  as  though  it  was  the  click  or  chuck  of  the 
machinery  that  released  the  sound  which  followed.  At  a 
distance,  when  the  trill  could  be  distinctly  heard,  the  single 
quick  chuck  would  pass  unnoticed.  When  I  first  heard  this 
combination  it  occurred  to  me  that  a  bluebird  was  in  the 
same  tree  or  near  by,  but  closer  observation  proved  the 
Towhee  to  be  the  sole  author  of  it. 

The  only  food  upon   which  they  fed  consisted  of  insects. 
A  young  bird  in  company  with  the  adult  pair  was  found  in  a 
fallen  cypress  top,  but  no  eggs  of  this  species  were  taken. 

Ch. — Young  (first  plumage).  Above  rusty  olive  brown, 
darker  on  sides  of  head.  Feathers  of  interscapular  region 
black,  edged,  more  broadly  on  the  outer  web,  with  pale 
brown.  Underparts  yellowish  brown,  darkest  on  throat, 
grading  into  white  ou  the  abdomen  and  to  light  reddish 
brown  on  side;  the  feather  streaked  with  black.  Sides  of 
chin,  black,  leaving  a  light  line  of  about  the  same  width 
between.  White  markings  on .  wings  and  visible  edges  of 
greater  wing  coverts  narrowly  edged  with  rusty  brown. 
Eyes  muddy  brown. 

(No.  2585.  Author's  collection,  Guadalupe  Island, 
March  26,  1886.) 

Wing,  80  mm;  Tail  feathers,  71  mm.;  Bill  from  nostril, 
7.5  mm.;  Tarsus,  23  mm.:  middle  toe,  20  mm.;  hind  claw, 
12  mm. 

It  much  resembles  on  the  back  the  young  plumage  of  the 
same  age  of  P.  maculatus  oregonus  (No.  983.  Author's  collec- 
tion, Wilbur,  Or.,  June  20,  1883),  but  the  latter  is  darker 
on  sides  of  neck,  and  has  the  feathers  of  sides  and  crissum 
rich  reddish-brown. 

The  underparts  correspond  closely  to  the  young  of  P. 
maculatus  megalonyx  (No.  2298,  author's  collection,  Oakland, 
Cal.,  June  3,  1885),  which  is  somewhat  younger.     I  believe 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 


305 


if  they  were  of  the  same  age  it  would  be  impossible  to  sep- 
arate them. 

LIST    OF   SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's 

Sex  and 

When 
colle",ted, 

Wing 

Tail 

Tail 

Bill 
from 

Depth 

Breadth 

Tar- 

Mid- 
dle 

Hind 

No. 

age 

1886 

feathers 

nos- 
tril 

of  bill 

of  bill 

sus 

toe 

claw 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2419 

Sad. 

Jan.    23 

80 

86 

97 

9 

9 

7 

26 

18 

13 

2459 

Sad. 

Feb.      2 

78 

81 

88 

9.5 

9 

7 

26 

18 

13 

2506 

Sad. 

Feb.     12 

78 

85 

93 

9 

9 

7.5 

25 

19 

14 

2507 

Sad. 

Feb.    12 

80 

86 

94 

9.5 

9 

7 

26" 

18 

12 

2508 

Sad. 

Feb.     12 

80 

88 

96 

10 

9 

7 

24 

19 

13 

2569 

sad. 

Mar.    12 

79 

83 

90 

9  5 

8.5 

7 

25 

19 

13 

2570 

Sad. 

Mar.    12 

79 

86 

94 

9.5 

9 

7 

24 

19.5 

13 

2571 

Sad. 

Mar.    12 

80 

87 

94.5 

9.5 

9 

7 

24.5 

19.5 

13 

2580 

Sad. 

Mar.    22 

80 

87 

96 

10 

9 

7 

24.5 

20 

13.5 

2587 

Sad. 

Mar.   26 
Av'g... 

81.5 
79.5 

87 

95 

10 

8.5 

6.5 

24 

19 

13 

85.6 

93.7 

9.5 

8.9 

7 

24  9 

18.9 

13 

2388 

'^ad. 

Jan       5 

74 
75.5 

9.5 
10 

9 
9 

6.5 

7 

24 
25.5 

18 
19 

13 
13 

2586 

Mar.    26 
Avg... 

81 

90 

No.  2419. — Testes  large.     Iris  orange,  tinged  with   carmine  around  pupil. 
No.  2459. — Iris  orange,  tinged  with  carmine. 
No.  2507. — Iris  carmine. 
No.  2569.— Iris  carmine. 
No.  2388.— Iris  orange. 

22     Ampelis  cedrorum. 

Cedar  Waxwing. — Christmas  morning  was  the  brightest 
and  fairest  I  enjoyed  during  more  than  one  hundred  days 
of  my  sojourn  on  the  island.  Taking  a  stroll  through  the 
small  cypress  grove  in  search  of  birds  not  before  met  with, 
I  was  rewarded  by  seeing  what  I  supposed  to  be  one  of  this 
species,  but  was  unable  to  capture  it.  Nothing  was  seen  or 
heard  of  it  again  for  more  than  a  month,  until  one  pleasant 
afternoon,  as  I  was  engaged  in  preparing  specimens  in  the 
.tent,   I  heard  the  notes  of  the  Cedar  Bird  close  by,  and 


306  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

going  outside,  was  just  in  time  to  get  a  flying  shot  at  the 
retreating  bird — but  missed  it.  Those  who  have  had  a 
similar  experience  can  imagine  my  feelings  when  that  bird 
disappeared.  I  knew,  beyond  any  reasonable  doubt,  that  it 
was^.  cedrorum,  yet  the  lack  of  any  positive  evidence  of 
the  fact,  left  me  brooding  over  my  disappointment  for  the 
next  two  hours.  The  unexpected  reappearance  of  the  bird, 
however,  quickly  dispelled  the  gloom.  This  time  I  took  all 
possible  precaution,  and  succeeded  in  making  this  hand- 
some addition  to  my  collection  of  Guadalupe  stragglers. 

DATA  OF  SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2437 

$  im. 

Jan.  28,  1886. 

Kemarks— No  wax  tips. 

23.    Lanius  ludovicianus  excubitorides. 

White-rumped  Shrike. — Two  specimens  of  these  butcher- 
birds were  seen  on  the  central  part  of  the  island.  Both 
were  heard  singing  in  low,  liquid  tones,  quite  pleasing  to  the 
ear.  They  were  very  shy,  although  to  a  less  degree  tluan 
birds  of  the  same  species  which  were  met  with  in  1885  on 
Cerros  Island,  Lower  California. 

Considering  the  abundance  of  larvae,  coleopterous  insects 
and  occasional  grasshoppers,  one  would  suppose  that  the 
"menu"  of  the  Shrike  left  nothing  for  her  to  desire,  but 
on  dissecting  a  specimen,  I  found  amongst  the  caterpillars, 
which  the  distended  gizzard  contained,  a  tiny  golden  foot  of 
Guadalupe's  sweetest  songster,  the  Dusky  Kinglet. 

In  color  this  bird  is  much  lighter  than  the  same  species 
from  Oakland,  Cal.,  and  more  closely  resembles  specimens, 
from  Tulare,  Cal.,  and  Tucson,  A.  T. 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 
DATA  OF  SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


307 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex  and  age. 

When  Oollected. 

2370 

?    ad. 

December  29,  1885. 

24.   Dendroica  auduboni. 

Audubon's  Waebler.— The  only  ones  seen,  two  in  num- 
ber, were  taken  on  stormy  days  in  the  small  cypress  grove. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex. 

Date. 

2368 
2404 

5 

December  28.  1885. 
January  12,  1886. 

25.    Anthus  pensilvanicus. 

American  Pipit. — On  the  evening  of  February  2,  while 
going  to  the  alkali  pools  to  watch  for  owls,  I  heard  faintly 
the  note  of  a  Titlark.  The  evening  was  very  calm,  the  sun, 
just  set,  cast  a  beautiful  afterglow  about  the  sky;  there  was 
just  light  enough  remaining  to  enable  me  to  distinguish  the 
birds  working-  their  way  among  the  rocks.  That  I  might 
make  sure  of  at  least  a  single  specimen  for  identification,  I 
fired  at  the  one  nearest  me.  The  flock,  about  twenty-five  in 
number,  at  once  rose  and  circled  past  out  of  range,  and  I 
saw  them  no  more. 

DATA  OF  SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No. 

Sex. 

Date. 

■ 

2451 

5    (?) 

February  2, 1886. 

26.    Oroscoptes  montanus. 

Sage  Thrasher. — In  making  my  rounds  of  the  small  cy- 
press grove  on  a  cold,  cloudy  and  windy  morning  in  Jan- 


308 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


iiary,  I  saw  and  heard  fewer  birds  than  ever  before  or  since. 
It  was  seldom  that  I  did  not  take  or  note  something  of  in- 
terest on  these  short  excursions,  and  on  tliis  day  I  secured 
a  handsome  specimen  of  the  Sage  Thrasher,  which  was 
found  among  the  leafless  branches  of  a  fallen  tree.  No  song 
nor  even  a  single  note  was  heard  from  him. 

DATA  OF  SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2400 

$  ad. 

January  7,  1886. 

Remarks— Iris  yellow.     Fat.     Contained  only  caterpillars. 

27.    Mimus  polyglottos. 

Mocking  Bird. — Two  birds,  apparently  a  mated  pair, 
were  seen  on  a  fallen  pine  at  the  northern  edge  of  the  palm 
grove.  First  attracted  to  the  place  by  the  delightful  song 
which  floated  upon  the  air,  I  saw  one  of  the  birds  in  the  act 
of  pouncing  upon  something  in  the  grass,  in  the  manner  of 
a  shrike.  When  alarmed  they  flew  higher  and  higher  among 
the  branches  of  a  tall  pine,  so  that  only  the  female  was  cap- 
tured. Having  never  before  seen  this  bird  in  a  wild  state, 
I  regretted  the  act  which,  in  compliance  with  strict  scientific 
requirements,  deprived  that  sea  bound  spot  of  so  much 
sweet  music. 


SPECIMEN  COLLECTED. 


Collector's  No 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2579 

?  ad. 

March  16,  1886. 

Remaiks -Iris  yellow.     Ovaries  small. 

28.    Salpinctes  guadelonpensis. 

Guadalupe  Eock  Wren. — This  species,  undoubtedly  the 
most  common  of  the  birds  on  the  island,  was  distributed 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  309 

from  the  beach  to  tlie  summit,  but  was  found  to  be  most 
numerous  on  the  upper  and  central  portions.  They  were  by 
nature  tamer  than  anv  birds  I  ever  met  with.  "While  re- 
treating, if  approached,  they  would  in  turn  draw  quite  near 
to  a  person  who  remained  perfectly  quiet.  Sitting  down 
one  afternoon  upon  a  log,  I  saw  a  Eock  Wren  come  hopping 
closer  and  closer  to  where  I  was  resting,  until  at  length  he 
perched  upon  my  shoe.  Then  seeing  a  sandy  spot  just  be- 
yond, he  availed  himself  of  the  opportunity  by  taking  a 
dust-bath.  So  close  was  he  to  me  that  I  could  have  reached 
him  with  my  foot,  yet  constantly  in  motion,  searching  here 
and  there  among  the  rocks  for  food,  he  seemed  entirely  un- 
conscious of  my  presence.  Even  when  standing  they  are 
seldom  quiet,  a  nervous  twitch  of  the  tail  or  toss  of  the  head 
bearing  witness  to  the  incessant  activity  so  characteristic  of 
these  little  cieatures. 

Seldom  silent,  the}^  have,  in  addition  to  their  ringing  call, 
ii  considerable  variety  of  song,  I  became  accustomed  to 
the  variations  of  four  or  five  different  birds,  and  noticed 
that  each  had  a  song  peculiar  to  himself  but  differing  from 
the  songs  of  his  fellows.  One  little  wren  near  camp  was  in 
the  habit  of  beginning  his  song  each  morning  at  about  half- 
past  six,  never  varying  five  minutes  from  his  self-appointed 
time.  They  are  usually  seen  on  the  ground  or  upon  a  rock 
or  stump.  One  remarkably  foggy  morning,  I  noticed  one 
sitting  on  the  top  of  a  sage-bush,  while  on  fine  days,  I  have 
seen  them  mounted  to  the  height  of  twenty  feet  on  a  dry 
cypress  twig,  singing  their  cheerful  song. 

Their  food  consisted  mainly  of  caterpillars  and  beetles. 
I  watched  one  pick  to  pieces  and  devour  successively  three 
small  Carabide  beetles. 

The  weather  does  not  seem  to  be  taken  into  consideration 
by  any  of  the  resident  species.  The  rock-wrens  are  the 
first  to  begin  nesting,  and  endeavor  to  conduct  their  do- 
mestic affairs  through  the  stormiest  times,  though  not 
always  with  success.     Many  abandoned  nests  were  found, 


310  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

some  with  and  some  without  eggs,  deserted,  probably,  on 
account  of  long  continued  Avet  weather.  The  location  of 
the  nest,  however,  plays  an  all-important  part  in  the  success 
or  failure  of  the  first  builders.  A  few  birds  began  the  con- 
struction of  their  nests  in  December,  and  one  had  her  work 
nearly  completed  on  the  25th  of  December,  1885.  Four 
fresh  eggs  were  found  in  it  on  January  17th.  The  breeding 
season,  strictly  speaking,  extends  from  the  middle  of  Jan- 
uary through  the  month  of  March. 

Nests  were  found  in  cavities  of  immense  boulders,  under 
rocks,  in  fallen  and  decayed  trunks  of  cypress  trees,  the 
latter  location  being  apparently  a  favorite  one.  But  wher- 
ever the  nests  were  located  the  passages  leading  to  them 
were,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  paved  with  flat  pebbles 
ranging  in  size  from  a  Lima  bean  to  a  half  dollar.  Fully  a 
quart  of  these  pebbles  were  removed  from  the  entrance  to 
a  nest  built  in  a  boulder  at  a  height  of  four  feet,  where,  at 
some  previous  time,  other  birds  had  evidently  built  and 
accumulated  their  share  of  the  pavement.  As  a  rule  scarcely 
an  ordinary  handful  of  stones  are  used.  The  nest  is  built 
in  close  conformity  to  the  size  and  shape  of  the  cavity 
which  it  occupies,  being  usually  circular  and  varying  from 
a  shallow  bed  of  fine  dry  grasses  to  a  nest  of  tlie  same  ma- 
terial measuring  150  mm.  in  diameter  and  60  mm.  high. 
The  egg  receptacle  is  from  55  mm.  to  70  mm.  in  diameter, 
and  not  more  than  30  mm.  in  depth.  A  lining  of  goat 
hair  when  obtainable  is  invariably  used.  I  followed  one 
bird  fully  an  hundred  yards  from  the  spot  where  she  had 
collected  some  goat  hair  before  the  nest  was  reached. 

The  eggs  are  usually  four,  though  sometimes  five  in 
number,  and  resemble  both  in  color  and  shape  those  of 
the  common  rock-wren  {S.  ohsoletus). 

Set  No.  781  (author's  oological  collection)  measures: 
17  X  14;  17  X  14.5:  18  x  14.5;  18.5  x  14.5  mm. 

Set  No.  782  (author's  oological  collection)    offers  the  fol- 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  311 

lowing  measurements  in  millimeters:  19  x  14;  19  x  14; 
19.5  xl4.5;  19.5  x  14.5;  19.5  x  15. 

The  average  size  ascertained  from  a  series  of  fifty-five 
eggs,  is  19  X  14  mm. 

The  two  largest  eggs  measured  21  x  15  mm.  and  20  x  16 
mm.  respective!}'-;  the  two  smallest,  17  x  14  mm. 

Two  different  stages  of  the  young  plumage  were  taken, 
descriptions  of  which  are  here  given : 

Ch. — Young.  Above  similar  to  adult  but  "iuucJi  darker, 
especially  the  head  and  neck,  which  lack  the  speckled  mark- 
ings. Wings  and  tail  as  in  adult  but  darker,  the  bars 
across  middle  tail-feathers  dull  black.  The  outer  half  of  the 
pale  cinnamon  on  end  of  tail-feather  finely  mottled  with 
dusky.  Under  parts  pale  pinkish  cinnamon;  the  entire 
throat  obscured  with  a  faint  dusky  suffusion.  Crissum 
darker  than  abdomen  and  unmarked. 

Wing,  67  mm. ;  tail  feathers,  53  mm. ;  bill  from  nostril,  12 
mm.;  tarsus,  19  mm.;  middle  toe,  13  mm. 

(No.  2530 — Immiture,  author's  collection.  Guadalupe 
Island,  February  19,  1886.) 

First  Plumage. — Above  lighter  than  the  immature  speci- 
men and  grayer  than  the  adult  plumage.  Below,  including 
throat,  pale  sulphurous  white,  becoming  pinkish  on  sides, 
and  crissum,  which  is  unmarked. 

Wing,  57  mm.;  tail  feather,  34  mm.;  bill  from  nostril,  8.5 
mm.;  tarsus,  20.5  mm.;  middle  toe,  14  mm. 

(No.  2425  —  Nestling,  author's  collection.  Guadalupe 
Island,  January  23,  1886. ) 

By  the  table  of  measurements  it  will  be  seen  that  the  bills 
of  specimens  (collected  eleven  years  after  the  species  was 
discovered)  average  about  15.5  mm.;  while  those  taken  in 
1875  I  find  to  average)  fully  a  millimeter  less.  A  decade 
hence  it  will  be  interesting  to  know  whether  this  increasing 
development  has  still  continued. 


312 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 
LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


-Collector's  No. 

Sex  and 
age. 

Date,  1886. 

Wing. 

Tail 
feathers . 

Tail. 

Bill  from 
nostril. 

Tarsus. 

Middle 
toe. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2395 

$ 

ad. 

January  6. 

65 

48 

52 

15 

21 

14 

2397 

S 

ad. 

January  6. 

66.5 

49 

54 

15.5 

21 

13 

2398 

6 

ad. 

January  6. 

67 

48.5 

56 

17 

21 

14 

2422 

5 

ad 

January  23 

69 

52 

— 

16 

20 

13 

2423 

6 

ad. 

January  23. 

68 

49 

54 

16 

22.5 

14 

2443 

$ 

ad. 

January  29. 

68 

51 

57 

15 

22 

14 

2444 

S 

ad 

January  29, 

08 

52 

57 

16 

22 

14 

2445 

^ 

ad. 

January  29. 

66 

48 

54 

36 

21 

14.5 

2534 

f> 

ad. 

March  4. 

71.5 

53 

58.5 

17 

22 

14.5 

2630 

6 

ad. 

January  29 

68 

52 

57 

15 

21 

15 

Average.. 

67.7 

50.2 

55.5 

15.8 

21.3 

14 

2396 

? 

ad. 

January  6. 

66 

50 

55 

16.5 

21 

14 

2446 

9 

ad. 

January  29. 

64 

45 

50 

17 

21.5 

15 

2449 

9 

ad. 

January  29. 

63 

46 

54 

15 

21 

\.\ 

2450 

9 

ad. 

January  29. 
Average . . 

64 

47 

53.5 

14 
15.6 

20 
20.8 

13 

64.2 

47 

53  1 

13  7 

No.  2534. — Ferruginous  shade  on  breast  and  abdomen. 
No.  2396. — Feathers  worn  off  breast  from  setting.     Length,   152  mm.;  ex- 
tent, 217  mm. 

No.  2446. — Contained  four  very  large  ova. 

29.    Thryothorus  brevicaudus. 

Guadalupe  Wren. — This  rare  local  species  has  become 
much  restricted  in  distribution  and  perhaps  m  number  since 
Dr.  Palmer  obtained  the  only  two  known  specimens  in  1875. 
I  am  informed  that  no  collecting  was  done  at  that  time 
among  the  pines  on  the  northern  portion  of  the  island,  in 
which  place  alone  was  I  able  to  discover  any  trace  of  this 
species;  and  as  no  collecting  was  done  by  Dr.  Palmer  among 
the  palms  (an  unlikely  place  for  the  birds  to  be  found),  I 
infer  that  the  two  original  specimens  must  have  been  found 
toward  the  central  portion  of  the  island. 

The  birds  were  timid  rather  than  shy,  being  alarmed  by 
the  crushing  of  dry  branches  as  I  worked  my  way  amidst 
the  dense  windfalls  of  pines,  where  they  were  found,  they 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND. 


313 


fled  into  the  thickest  parts.  When  all  was  quiet  they  would 
cautiously  approach  until  within  a  few  feet  of  me,  seeming- 
ly prompted  by  curiosity.  Fearing  the  complete  extermi- 
nation of  a  species  so  restricted  in  distribution,  I  refrained 
from  taking  more  specimens.  All  that  I  secured  were  taken 
within  an  area  of  sixty  by  three  hundred  feet,  nor  were  any 
seen  elsewhere.  A  frightened  female  uttered  a  few  "  twit" 
"  twits"  of  alarm,  but  with  this  exception  they  were  utterly 
silent. 

A  careful  and  protracted  search  during  the  greater  part 
of  two  days,  with  the  aid  of  my  Mexican  companion,  failed 
to  discover  the  whereabouts  of  a  nest,  the  eggs  of  which 
remain  unknown. 

LIST   OF  SPECIMENS   COLLECTED. 


Collector's 

Sex  and 

Date. 

Wing. 

Tail 

1 

Exposed 
Tail.! 

Bill  from 

Tarsus. 

Middle  toe. 

No. 

age. 

1886. 

feathers. 

culmen. 

nostril, 
mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2483 

Sad. 

Feb.  16 

48 

44 

48 

17. 5 

12 

17 

12 

2484 

CO  Sad 

t  (        (< 

49 

44 

50 

17 

12 

18 

12 

2486 

Sad. 

'•        " 

48 

43 

47.5     17 

12 

17 

12.5 

2487 

Sad. 

Av'g.. 

48 
48.2 

45 

47 

17 

12 

18 
17.5 

12 

44 

48  1 

17.1 

12 

12.1 

2482 

9  ad. 

Feb  16. 

47 

43 

45 

16 

11 

18 

11 

2485 

^ad. 

47 

42 

47 

16 

11 

17.5 

11.5 

2488 

^ad. 

Av'g.. 

49 

47.6 

43 

47 

17 

11.5 

17.5 

12 

42.6 

46.3 

16.3 

11.1 

17.6 

11.5 

No.  2483.~Contained  insects  and  two  pine  seeds.   Length,  134mm.  Extent, 
165  mm. 

No.  2484. — Sex  not  determined. 

No.  2482.— Ovaries  large.    Eyes,  dark  brown.    Contained  insects. 

No.  2485.— Ovaries  smalL 

No.  2488.— Ovaries  large. 

30.    Sitta  canadensis. 

Ked-breasted  Nuthatch.— Tolerably  common  among  the 


314  CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 

pine  timber,  and  found  nowhere  else  except  in  the  large 
cypress  grove,  where  two  or  three  were  heard. 

By  the  10th  of  March  several  birds  had  begun  their  pre- 
parations for  nesting.  Selecting  a  dead  pine  stump  or 
branch  they  worked  industriously,  striking  little  resounding 
taps  with  their  bills.  Two  unfinished  holes  were  found, 
one  at  a  height  of  about  forty  feet  in  a  slender  dead  pine , 
being  just  commenced,  while  the  other,  near  the  top  of  a  pine 
stump  fifteen  feet  high,  had  been  cut  to  a  depth  of  four  or  five 
inches,  thus  rendering  necessary  the  removal  of  chips.  This 
process  was  effected  by  regular  stages,  the  bird  bringing  a 
mouthful  of  debris  to  the  opening,  where,  entirely  visible 
with  the  exception  of  her  tail,  she  clung  to  the  edge  of  the 
opening,  head  downward,  until  the  chips  were  launched 
into  the  air. 

Specimens  which  were  taken  on  Januarv  26  and  February 
16,  do  not  vary  in  size  from  specimens  of  this  species  from 
other  localities. 

31.    Eegulus  obscurus. 

Dusky  Kinglet. — Frequenting  more  numerously  the  large 
cypress  grove,  they  are  nevertheless  found  in  the  smaller 
grove,  and  also  among  the  pines.  In  the  former  and  latter 
places  they  are  positively  known  to  breed,  and  there  is  but 
little  doubt  that  they  also  nest  in  the  small  grove.  They 
are  much  tamer  than  others  of  this  genus  found  elsewhere, 
still  they  do  not  seek  a  close  acquaintance  Avith  a  person  of 
hunting  proclivities. 

In  December  I  found  them  in  full  song  and  as  common 
as  in  April,  although  strange  as  it  may  seem,  it  was  not  un- 
til the  latter  month  that  any  were  noticed  by  Dr.  Palmer. 

Their  song  is  indescribably  sweet  and  musical,  and  of 
wonderful  power  for  so  small  a  bird,  commencing  with  a 
few  low,  quick  notes,  as  though  the  singer  were  merely  try- 
ing his  voice,  then  bursting  into  a  full  animated  warble,  it 
ends  in  a  dissyllabic  measure,  accented  on  the  first  syllable, 
and  usually  repeated  from  three  to  six  times.     One  remark- 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE    ISLAND.  315 

ably  fine  songster  repeated  the  final  dissyllable  eight  or  ten 
times.  Only  once  did  I  hear  the  metallic  click,  so  common 
with  the  Oakland  birds  in  winter,  but  even  then  it  flowed 
immediately  into  song. 

As  early  as  the  middle  of  February  nest-building  was  in 
order,  the  birds  selecting  the  topmost  foliage  of  a  cypress, 
and  sometimes  the  very  outer  extremity  of  a  horizontal 
branch. 

As  the  result  of  many  days'  diligent  search,  three  nests 
came  under  my  observation,  and  these  were  detected  only 
by  watching  the  birds  as  they  collected  building  material, 
or  by  tracing  to  its  source  a  peculiar,  low  song,  which  the 
male  sometimes  sings  when  close  to  the  nest. 

These  nests  were  all  found  over  twenty  feet  high,  and 
only  one  could  be  seen  from  the  ground,  and  fchat  merel}- 
during  the  intervals  when  the  wind  parted  the  branches. 
They  were  placed  in  the  midst  of  a  thick  bunch  of  foliage, 
and  but  lightly  secured  to  the  twigs.  Compact,  though  not 
very  smooth  in  structure,  they  were  composed  of  soft 
strips  of  bark  intermingled  with  feathers,  bits  of  moss, 
fine  grass  and  cocoons.  Additional  warmth  is  secured  by 
a  quantity  either  of  goat's  hair  or  feathers,  and,  lastly,  a 
thin  lining  of  goat's  hair.  Their  external  measurement  is 
about  70  mm.  in  height  by  90  mm.  in  diameter,  while  the 
internal  depth  is  about  45  mm.,  and  diameter  from  35  mm. 
to  45  mm..  The  mouth  of  the  opening  is  smaller  than  im- 
mediately below. 

A  nest  containing  two  fresh  eggs  (set  No.  799,  author's 
oijlogical  collection)  was  found  in  the  top  of  a  slender 
cypress  twenty-five  feet  high,  March  24.  It  could  not  be 
seen  from  the  ground,  but  was  located  by  the  subdued  song 
of  the  male  bird.  As  I  ascended  the  tree  and  approached 
the  nest,  the  female  flew  off  and  joined  her  mate  in  a  neigh- 
boring tree.  She  made  no  demonstrations  whatever,  and 
was  not  again  seen,  while  her  partner,  undisturbed  by  my 
intrusion  continued  to  warble  his  richest  song. 


316 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


In  color  the  eggs  are  white,  with  a  dense  wreath  of  pale 
yellowish -brown  spots  encircling  the  larger  end.  In  some 
places,  these  spots  appear  to  be  laid  over  a  pale  lavender 
washing,  and  in  one  specimen,  these  fine,  almost  indistinct 
dots  extend  sparingly  over  the  entire  surface.  They  measure 
in  millimeters  14  x  11  and  15  x  11. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


Collect- 

Sex and 

Date, 

Tail 

Bill 

Middle 

wing 

Tail. 

from 

Tarsus. 

Length. 

Extent 

or's  No. 

age. 

1886. 

feathers. 

nostril 

toe. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

mm. 

2371 

S    ad. 

Jan.    2 

56 

44 

47 

7 

19.5 

10.5 

114 

169 

2390 

S    ad. 
$    ad. 

Jan.    6 
Jan.    6 

53 
53 

40 
40 

— 

6.5 
6 

18 
20 

10 
10 

2391 

111 

ICA 

2392 

$    ad. 

Jan.    6 

55 

43 



6.5 

19 

10 

2399 

S   ad. 

Jan.    6 

54.5 

41.5 



6 

20.5 

10 

2412 

$    ad. 

Jan.  23 

54.5 

43 



6 

19.5 

10.5 

2413 

S   ad. 

Jan.  23 

55 

44 



7 

20 

10.5  1 

2414 

S   ad. 

Jan.  23 

56.5 

46 

49 

7.5 

19.5 

10.5 

2441 

S    ad. 

Jan.  29 

56 

44 



7.5 

20 

10 

2455 

S   ad. 

Feb.    2 
Av'g.. 

55 

43 

— 

6.5 

19.5 

11 



54.8 

42.8 

— 

6.6 

19,5 

10.3  i 

2373 

?    ad. 

Jan.    2 

51 

38.5 

42  5 

6 

19 

10 

2439 

?    ad. 

Jan.  29 

51 

40 

41 

6.5 

19 

10      1 

2456 

?    ad. 

Feb.    2 
Av'g.. 

52 

40.5 

44.5 

6 

195 

10       ' 

j 

51.3 

39.6 

~ 

6.1 

19.1 

:o     1 

No.  2371.— Iris  dark  brown. 
No.  2456. — Ovaries  small. 

The  length  of  bill  from  nostril  of  the  males  taken  by  Dr. 
Palmer,  all  measure  6.3  mm.,  and  the  single  female  has  the 
bill  but  5.5  mm.,  showing  a  slight  increase  in  length  during 
the  past  decade.  As  this  measurement  can  be  so  accurately 
taken,  I  believe  the  difference  is  an  actual  one. 

32.    Turdus  aonalaschkse. 

DwAEF  Heemit  Thrush. — The  strange  shyness  of  the 
straggling   avifauna  of  Guadalupe  Island  was  well  exempli- 


ORNITHOLOGY    OF    GUADALUPE   ISLAND. 


317 


fiecl  in  the  first  specimen  of  this  species  which  I  met 
with.  On  the  24th  of  December,  I  thought  I  heard  the 
note  of  a  Dwarf  Thrush,  a  sound  quite  familiar  to  me 
during  the  winter  season  at  Oakland,  but  could  not  get 
a  sight  at  the  author  of  it.  The  bird  was  heard  for  several 
consecutive  mornings  in  the  cypress  grove  adjoining  my 
camp,  but  was  not  seen  until  the  2d  of  January.  He  then 
succeeded  in  eluding  me  and  leading  me  a  daily  chase  until 
the  7th  of  January,  when  he  was  accommodating  enough  to 
call  at  camp  in  the  evening,  announcing  his  arrival  by  call- 
ing out  quickly  ''chut,"  ''chut."  As  the  sound  apparently 
proceeded  from  beneath  a  fallen  cypress  I  worked  my  way 
cautiously  in  that  direction,  keeping  tree  trunks  between 
myself  and  the  place.  The  ground  being  smoother  than 
where  I  had  previously  found  him,  I  was  not  obliged  to 
look  to  every  footstep,  and  finally  arriving  within  range,  I 
caught  sight  of  him  on  the  ground.  The  report  of  the  gun 
was  tremendous  in  the  still  evening  air,  and  the  result  final. 
I  soon  had  the  long-sought  prize  in  hand,  beautiful,  as 
freshly  killed  specimens  of  Tiirdi  always  are.  Two  other 
specimens  were  afterwards  taken,  one  in  the  large  palm 
grove,  the  other  among  the  cypress.  Neither,  however, 
was  so  diificult  to  approach  as  the  first. 

LIST  OF  SPECIMENS  COLLECTED. 


CoUector's  Number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date,  1883. 

Remarks. 

2401 
2436 
2-583 

$,  ad. 
—  ad. 
S  ad. 

January   7. 

January  28. 

March  2d. 

Iris  dark  brown 

33.    Merula  migratoria  propinqua. 

Western  Robin. — First  seen  in  December.  In  January 
three  birds  were  found  and  taken  on  the  border  of  the  small 
cypress  grove. 


22— Bull.  Cal.  Acad.  Sci.    U.    6. 


Issued  January  5,  1887. 


318 


CALIFORNIA   ACADEMY   OF   SCIENCES. 
LIST  OF   SPECIMENS. 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex. 

Date,  1886. 

Remarks. 

2382 
2386 

? 

9 

January  4. 
January   4. 
January  8. 

Fat. 

Head  only  saved. 

34.    Hesperocichla  naevia. 

Varied  Thrush. — One  bird  only  was  seen  on  the  island 
among  the  pine  timber. 


DATA  OF  SPECIMEN. 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2533 

?  ad. 

March  4,  1886. 

Eemarks — Gizzard  contained  larvae,  beetles  and  one  pine  seed. 

35.    Sialia  arctica. 

Mountain  Bluebird. — Three  birds  of  this,  species  were 
seen  on  several  occasions  on  the  edge  of  the  small  cypress 
grove;  a  single  one  being  noticed  for  the  last  time  on  the 
15th  of  February. 

DATA  OF  SPECIMEN   COLLECTED. 


Collector's  Number. 

Sex  and  age. 

Date. 

2369 

6    ad. 

December  29,    1885, 

Kemarks— Iris  dark  brown.    Gizzard  contained  caterpillars  and  an  elytron 
of  a  beetle. 


CALIFORNIA    ACADEMY    OF    SCIENCES. 


ERRATA. 


ADDITIONS   TO   THE   OENITHOLOGY   OF   GUADALUPE   ISLAND. 


Page  280,  in  table.     For  385  mm.  read  384  mm, 


283. 


169U    read  1691? 


1699?  . 

2408?  . 
2504?. 
2581?;* 
2409?. 


"  1699  5 
"  2408  5 
"  2504  5 
"  2581 5 
"    2409  5 

288,  second  line.     For  form  read  forms. 

289,  second  table.     For  Scott  read  Scott  Mt. 

"     Mar.  20,  1883,  read  Mar.  20,  1880. 

290,  eleventh  line.     For  Guadeloupe  read  Guadalupe. 

291,  fourteenth  line.    For  Guadaloupe  read  Guadalupe. 

299,  thirteenth  line.     For  by  omitting,  substitute  it  having  omitted. 
299,  eighth  line.    For  Cone's  read  Cones'. 
303,  second  table.     For  ?  ad.  read  ad. 


